Riding for hours

Yesterday I just had time to go out to the barn for just a little while after delivering my wedding cake. I gave Red his alfalfa and that was about it. I took a bunch of pictures of him in his new stall and here is one.

Today I had planned on going riding with Krystina. I went out to the barn around 2:00 PM. I went out into the pasture and Duke, Red and the Arabian gelding Torique were on the left hand side of the paddock. When Red saw me approaching with the halter and lead rope he went around Torique and then circled back and walked right up to me and stuck his nose in the halter and ate the hay I brough him.

There is a big difference since Torique came into the picture. Duke has the horses in the next paddocks to be friendly with and Torique, too! Red doesn't seem so annoyed! Miss Jean said Red was getting a break from Duke being stuck to him. Red seems much calmer too. That is wonderful...he is a good boy for the most part and I'd like to keep him that way.

I took him over to the outside washrack and groomed him and tacked him up. I took the new reins and put them on his bridle. I took him into the indoor arena and we stood talking to Krystina and Fancy. Fancy is such a pretty girl. I brought Red to the mounting block and got on and he "stayed" like I told him to. He didn't move a hoof. Good boy. We stayed there for a minute or two until we moved off. I worked with him for one hour in the arena while Krystina had a lesson. We worked on stopping and "staying". Backing up and doing it all again. We trotted around the arena twice without stopping and he kept the right pace. At one point when we were going around at a walk he made a move to the water fountain and got himself a drink. Lee Ann came in the arena with Rogue and was working on ground work with him. He knows how to bow!!!

After Krystina's lesson we went out for a ride. Of course, Red moves kinda slow going out. We went to the back of the pasture and the cows were near the fence. Krystina got off to walk Fancy up to them so she would not be afraid. We walked around the back of the pasture and come up the other side. Red went through water like a trooper Woo Hoooo and then Maxwell came running up splashing and both horses startled and moved quickly to get out of his way. I told Max if I ended up on my fat backside I was going to kick his. Krystina said he must like either me or Red because he never follows her on rides. LOL he is really a darling and cute as a button. We came up the side of the horse pastures and crossed through one of the pathways. Red was stepping a little quicker than going out but not in an obnoxious way. He was such a good boy today. I rode for two hours and I think my backside was broke!!

I groomed Red again and put Hoof Flex on his hooves and iodine wash on his legs and sprayed off the mud. Mud is not good for his legs.

I talked to Margaret - she had a fit when I said Barry came off of Red til I assured her he was fine. I was telling her about cleaning Red's sheath and his leg issue. She thinks he may have eczema but I haven't seen any hints of that. I will keep an eye out for it though. She told me some shampoo to get and put some iodine in it. It will keep any fungus amoungus at bay. I will get that shampoo this week!

I enjoyed my ride today...it was such a pleasure...and just what I bought my horse for! Thanks Red!!