Bounce Gymnastics

Highboy is a horse of extremes.  He either is exceptional and amazing, or ridiculous and catastrophic.  He really does nothing half-way.  For example, we have today's gymnastic jumping line with several bounces.  I began jumping Highboy through it as small fences, but he tried to go through it as FAST as possible to keep it interesting.  It looked like a tap dance down the center of the arena.  I decided to make the jumps bigger to give him something to think about, hopefully slow him down, and make him jump more carefully.  I ended up with this horrific run:

Then got this also horrible run:

Distances were adjusted and there was some jumping individual fences, and then I had this amazing line:

and also this one:

This ride perfectly illustrated that Highboy either is phenomenal or abysmal.  And he may have missed his calling as a steeplechase horse with that reach and aptitude for taking off from a long spot.

Silver also took a turn at the gymnastic line, set slightly lower and at closer distances.

I'm so pleased with how Silver is coming along.  He's super careful, thinks his way through the questions, and then tries his very hardest to do it right.  Such an honest horse!

Weekend Rides

This weekend Ferriana's owner was able to come over and watch her jump.  I really enjoy this mare and showing her off is a blast.  It's been a long time since her owner has been able to see her go in person, and we're all just delighted with how this horse loves her job and thinks through the questions.

Silver did some work on the gymnastic line as well.  I needed to loosen up my shoulder, so his warmup with me was mostly neck-reining. 

Dancer is back at Bit of Honey, too.  She's healing from a hoof abscess (this has been a bad year for them!) and is going to be in the lesson program again.  I call her my boomerang horse because I've leased her out to clients and I've sold her several times, but she always comes back.  I love her to pieces, and I'm always happy when she returns!

Hiking at Parvin Lake

Jasi, Kim H, and I took Pascal and Rizzo up to Red Feather Lakes for an easy hike on our day off earlier this week.  Rizzo loved the water, and Pascal was tentative about it as he is with all new things.  It's good for him to try different stuff, it makes him braver and more confident.  Kim H and Jasi took all these photos.  

 No dog is an island.

Pascal was delighted he found a tennis ball near the water!

This look from Rizzo captures everything she's become with all her training and time here.  She's happy and confident, knows her job and enjoys hiking on her days off.

I love this one of Pascal's paw.  It symbolizes everything I need in a dog, a friend and coworker who always has my back.

We also saw some amazing birds.