We RODE together!

First off, I have a cautionary tale for you all.
Horses?
Horses are big, powerful, and deadly animals. They have huge hearts and gentle natures but we must never forget how powerful they are.
Case in point:
This is a hoof rasp.


You might notice that it's snapped in half.



It was a kick from Leo that did it. A bone could have snapped just as easily.
I think the theory is that a wasp stung him. He also scraped his face a bit on the trailer.

The culprit, who is not vicious:



I didn't get a picture today, but yesterday Solomon was hot-shod. Remember my blog entry that showed the farrier with the forge, shaping the shoe to the horse's foot?
Well Solly had that done on all four feet.
It looks so good. It feels good too.
I think Solomon feels good.
He was nickering up a storm at me when I went to see him.

When I took him into the roundpen, he was very responsive. His movement was free and easy, and when I "kissed him up," which is to say I make a kissy noise with my lips to signal him to go into the canter, he immediately leapt into it! Normally I have to really push him to canter. Not today. Today he was Mister Happy Obedient Horse. He was good in the chute with his backing, he was good at standing, heck, he was good at everything.

So Bo got on Solomon's back, and he was a good, mellow boy. After a little ride, he dismounted and had me hold Sol while he helped a boarder with her trailer. Solomon got so bored.













But!
When Bo came back in the roundpen, he was carrying the mounting block. He had me hand my camera to Dede.
"Does this mean I get to ride my boy?" I asked.
"It sure does."

I was so happy when I got on Sol's back (after hearing Bo murmur to him to take good care of me) that I almost cried. I didn't have riding boots and didn't put my feet in the stirrups. I mixed up left and right and didn't have the best form. I was too big for the saddle. Was a newbie rider, really. But I was so happy. And Solomon was so good. So very very very good. He was so patient with me. He got confused and a bit upset a couple times, but just trotted a couple steps and made a face. The rest of the time he was relaxed and calm. And it just felt so good and right. Bo says we'll need to do at least 10 more rides like that before doing anything else. I'd do a hundred and be filled with joy.




After the ride, Solomon cuddled me with his big, gentle grey head, breathing softly in my hair. He stood so quietly for his bath, just enjoying the sensation of the cool water on his skin. No fear.

He so earned his grain pan today!