Kellie Rides in her new Steele Saddle

Kellie finally got in her new Steele saddle!!!  She was so excited and we planned to go riding today so she could give it a whirl.  We had to delay our ride for 30 minutes as it was raining at her house.

I got out to the barn and picked up Biscuit.  He was glad to get in the trailer because his breakfast was there.  I loaded up my tack, saturated my cool vest and yalmuke and took off.  I got to the park and unloaded The Biscuit.  I cleaned his hooves and brushed him...added on some fly spray.  Kellie arrived and took out Elan and I had to walk over to see the new saddle.  It looked black at first in the trailer but it is actually just dark. After she took it out I lifted it up and it has the light tree but it is still heavier than my saddle.  It is nice!!! Different than a western as it is a trail saddle so it doesn't have loads of superfluous skirting.

We tacked up and I could tell Biscuit has lost some weight - they cut back their feed by 1/2 which is good.  We took off and into the woods.  Biscuit didn't want to lead and can throw it into reverse.  We stopped to lengthen Kellie's stirrups and Elan decided the dirt was a very special chocolate type treat.  His lips and mouth were full of mud!!!

When we got back to the trailhead the first round Biscuit threw it into reverse and I circled him.  He was pretty snotty about it but we went forward.  We took a trip down the ride away and then back to the right.  I saw a snake slither into a water filled rut and it was roiling around in a very strange manner.  It was black with gold bands.  I tried to look it up and couldn't find one I thought was what I saw!

We hit a trot for a while and Biscuit did really terrific and was very forward.  A few times he gave logs a funny look and kinda spooked at one.  That is the oddest thing...logs on the trail cause he too startle more than anything else!!!

Kellie and I decided to do just 2 rounds as rain bands were on their way.  We rode back to the trail head and I made Biscuit go past it and he did without throwing it into reverse.  I took his tack off and took him over to wash him off.  He was good about spraying his face - he is a good boy.

We drank a coke and loaded up.  It started sprinkling.  Raining by the time I got home.  UGH.  I got cleaned up and by then it was sun shining.  Kellie and I met at Sol restaurant for lunch.  We are planning on riding Saturday and Sunday to get our saddles broke in.

My saddle is no longer making my feet tingle!  hahahahah  I think it was just a little stiff.   I need to bring it home and condition it again.  Kellie's new saddle squeaked quiet a bit and I think King Elan was not happy with that!!!

Barefoot Trimming on Biscuit

Kellie and I are going riding on Friday so I pulled Biscuit up on Thursday to do his feet.  I just checked how long it had been at it was 4 weeks.  OMG his feet were LONG.  I got all of my stuff out but was missing a glove.  My gloves are full of holes in all the wrong places so it really didn't matter.  I need new gloves!

I started to work on his feet and he was such a good boy.  Truly the best he has ever been having his feet done.  I rasped the first one and then switched to nippers.  His hoof walls are thick and his soles were hard so it is always surprising that Biscuit is tender footed.  It took me about 50 minutes and that included getting my stuff out.  I gave him several handfuls of alfalfa during the process so I could give my back a break.  OMG I was pouring sweat off of my face.  Anyhoo......he has that nasty crack back in his back left hoof and his front left  was frayed like old fiberglass.  I was able to smooth that one nicely.  I have decided to start doing his feet every Monday so I am not killing myself to get them done!!

This picture of Sarge and Barry was taken on Tuesday.  Could he be any cuter?  He was kissing Barry up!!!

Track is flipped over

Lee Ann B and I made arrangements to meet out at the barn at 8:00 AM to go for a ride.  We loaded up the tack and I went down and got Biscuit.  He saw the trailer and walked to the other side of the paddock!!  I loaded him up, picked up Lee Ann and Rogue and off we went.

We tacked up and mounted up.  I had to dismount because I forgot my helmet.  We went to the right and could hear a hog to our right in the woods.  We went around to the back and got to where the track was and found this

Ricky had flipped it over so the rubber side was up.  OMG it was bigger than we thought it was.  This picture cuts off part of it!

We kept going and came to a wallow and some standing water.  Biscuit refused to go through it even with a pop with the crop.  He threw it into reverse.  Rogue went through and then Biscuit followed.   Go figure!!!

We got up to the front of the trail head and he threw it into reverse when I didn't let him turn out of the trail.  I made him do very tight circles and then he finally went.  He went nicely through the wallow/water this time and again threw a little fit at the trail head.  Tight circles again.

We made three trips around the park and then went out after a little snit fit by Biscuit when he had to go past the trail head.  There were two people talking with Ricky near where we came out and they said "there was a hog in there!!"

We took their tack off and I cleaned Biscuit's hooves and washed him off at the water department.  I can spray his head now carefully - he still isn't thrilled but he doesn't have a fit.  We left the stables and hauled back to the barn.

Lee Ann P was leaving for her property in Lumberton to make ready in case the hurricane came.   Lee Ann and I said we would join her and help.  We put the horses up and Lee Ann went in her own car. We helped with tying up fence wires.  I got a big kick out of Mike and Andy the Halflingers.  They are PRECIOUS.  I went back to the car and got carrots for them...they thought that was pretty darn grand.

As it turns out, the hurricane isn't coming here - YAY but now if one does, the property where the horses go is ready.

Biscuit has Ankles - not cankles

I went out to the barn Friday morning before I headed out to New Orleans.  This is his ankles - they are ankles not cankles!!!  I was so glad to see his legs were no longer swollen!!!

Biscuit's Cankles are better

I went out to the barn to put Biscuit and Sarge back into the paddock.  I brought Biscuit up on the wash rack to look at his legs.  What an improvement.    This is before:

And this was this evening:

A much improved Cankle!!!!!!  Hoping to see a bigger improvement tomorrow morning.  I will go see him before I leave for New Orleans.

Road Trip to the Vet

Lee Ann P looked at Biscuit cankles this morning...they are still swollen.  She said Legato had got swollen legs a few months ago before they went to Mississippi - she actually had a tiny cut on her leg.

I decided to haul Sarge with me and get their shots while I was there.  I double dipped on the West Nile because I couldn't remember if they had had it or not - turns out they had but since WN is going crazy up in the Dallas area better safe than sorry.

Doc asked me to walked him down the middle of the barn and asked if he had been coughing, runny nose, off his feed, lethargic - big negative on all of those.  He listed to his heart and lungs and jugular veins.  He picked up his legs.  He thinks it is just a reaction to all the insects.  He gave his a steroid shot and an antihistamine with it.  He said if he is not better by Wednesday to let him know.

Biscuit was very worried and upset to have Doc all over him but he calmed down.  He got all of his shots, Rhino, influenza, West Nile and a Rabies shot.  Sarge got the same - but one shot hit a blood vessel and blood poured into the needle and he had to give it another go.  His side were full of lather from him leaning on the sides of the trailer being a nosy rosy.

It was $190 for everything and I got soaking wet closing doors and tail gate.

OMG that is a HUGE needle

I was brought here under false pretenses

Look at the lather on his sides.  He was rubbing up against the sides of the trailer trying to see what was going on!

Going over Willow Bayou

Cankels - my boy has Calf Cankels

I went out to the barn and was going to ride.  I got Biscuit out and noticed his back fetlocks were swollen.  He walked up to the barn with no trouble - no stiffness no lameness.  I hosed his legs and walked him around.  Didn't seem to be tender.  His legs were mildly warm.  OMG it is always something.

I went back later with Barry and he trotted him out for me and Biscuit did just fine.  I picked up his back leg and he pulled it away from me.  I did it again and he again pulled away like it was tender.  It is off to the vet for The Biscuit tomorrow.  I want to know what is wrong now!

Sarge has a bobo

I ran out to the barn today to check on the boys.  I had three little carrots and Sarge was all over that.  He is so funny.  I lifted up his lip to look at his teeth and he is always very accommodating about it.  He is full of smooches and kisses.  He gave Biscuit the evil eye a few times but Biscuit managed to get his share of carrots. 

I was looking at Sarges's head and the hair on the top left side was matted to his face.  I checked it out and bless his heart he lowered his head for me to look.  It was full of that nasty liquid that comes out of sores - that clear lymph liquid.  It was crusted into his forelock.  I pulled his forelock hair out of the crust and got a look at it.  It is a little sore no bigger than an eraser head.  I don't know if he scratched it on the fence or if it was an insect bite.  I went back to the barn and got some Clorox wipes, I only had two left, and my Furazone ointment. 

I went back to the paddock and bless his little heart, he stood there so quietly while I cleaned his head.  I was outside of the fence but he stood there.  I used a wipe to clean off all of the yuk and clean off the germs.  I put Furazone on it and he kept wanting to stick his nose in the jar.  He is a treat hound.  Poor baby...I kissed him up before leaving and give Biscuit another pat.  I will have to go out there tomorrow and make sure it is healing up.  I don't want it to get out of hand!  I took pictures but this new computer of Barry's doesn't seem to have a Bluetooth - I will have to get whatever it is to have that!!

Hogs Galore in Tyrrell Park

The Rockin' R Riders had a ride in Tyrrell Park Saturday morning.  Barry decided to go with me so we left the house at 6:50 AM to get the horses.  I stopped at the tack room and Barry went down to get the horses.  I put their feed in and got hay for their bags...loaded up saddles and bridles and off we went. 

We met Kellie out at the park around 7:30 or so.  I got Biscuit tacked up.  James and Kenny arrived and some people we didn't know.  Kellie, Barry, James and I started off and went to the right in the woods.  Barry was leading, Kellie, me and then James who was on a new little paint gelding that was as cute as could be.  We rounded the first turn and Sarge spooked to the right...it was hogs to the left.  We didn't see them but could hear them.  We later crossed the two ride aways and saw hogs to the right on the public road crossing it.  Good sized hogs too.

We went out on the bayou and the grass was saddle high but then was just stirrup high until we got down aways and then it was head high.  Biscuit was being a pill - generally he does what I ask but he was skittering a little with his back end to both side.  He just wanted to be up by Sarge.  We did some trotting.  We went to the bridge and Kellie and I headed back.  I had cake consults that afternoon...Kellie didn't want to get too hot so we headed back. 

Biscuit was giving me some grief on the ride...but I did get him to collect up properly - he was tucking his chin all the way to his chest to evade the bit - he did that when Kenny had that really harsh bit on him.  I pushed him into the bridle and he quit JUMPING into the jog and transitioned smoothly.  We got to the woods and wanted to go right.  He threw it into reverse and I swatted him and we had to go around a clump of grass but he finally went.  OMG when he doesn't want to go he throws it into reverse!  We went all around the woods and back to the barn.  It was a fun ride.

We heard an ambulance and got a call from Kenny asking if we were still there.  A lady on the ride had some problems and an ambulance was called.  Her hands went numb, then stiff, curled, etc.  I went and flagged down the ambulance and Kellie told them how to get out to the back to get to her through Cattail Marsh.  Then we heard a bunch of sirens and saw an ambulance, two supervisor trucks and a fire truck going down Frint Road by the stables.  The sirens stopped not to far down the road.  Kellie said must have been a bad accident.  A few seconds later here they come again and I flagged them down.  They flew into the stables and I asked if they were looking for the horseback rider and he said yes.  Kellie knew them and directed them to Cattail.  I called Barry and he was unaware that an ambulance had been called.  The lady had issues back by Hildebrant - the fartherest she could have been.  Kenny had told them to go ahead and so he and James had moved off and they were unaware that there was a health problem. 

A lady rode up ponying the Halflinger and I took his reins from her.  Her name is Therese and she said he was not easy to pony!!!  He is DARLING and I wanted to bring him home with me.  She said they were afraid the lady was having a stroke.  Kellie and I stayed til Barry arrived.  A life flight helicopter was called...Kellie told Kenny to tell them to stand down.  The EMS guys came back and said Acadian had got the lady out...Barry saw them going down the left side of the bog and when the second wave of EMS came Barry and James told them that the other ambulance had gone down there to get the lady and they weren't needed.

They came back to the stables and Kellie and I talked to them.  They were hilarious guys - they had had to take off the gate into Cattail Marsh.  The codes didn't work. 

Barry and the rest of the people returned.  I had already given Biscuit a bath and he was munching hay.  I took Sarge over and rinsed him off.  He was a sweaty fellow.  We loaded them up right as the weather was getting nasty.  It poured buckets on us on the way back but wasn't raining at the ranch. 

It is always an adventure to go riding.  You never know what you are going to see or run across or what is going to happen along the trail. 

Checking out new park

Kellie and I went on a park investigation trip Friday down to Quintana Park.  We went all the way through Galveston.  I had never been that far down the road!!  It was very pretty down there.  We enjoyed the ride.  We stopped at a Buc-ee's and then on to the park.  It was a very nice park but it had a drop off to the beach.  A back and forth board sidewalk led down to the beach and unless a trail was built to get down there it would be difficult to get the horses down to the beach.  The cabins were very nice.  One draw back - huge refinery across the street that is converting liquid gas.  Giant bomb!    We went through Galveston and ate at a cute little restaurant and then went to a confection shop and bought chocolate caramel apples.  We went across the ferry and saw several dolphins.  We had a great time and wish we would have found a place to ride and spend the night.  I would like to ride at the end of Galveston.  It was nice down there. 

Trimming Sarge

I got Biscuit out of the pasture and put him on the washrack.  I rinsed him off and brushed his mane and forelock.  I was supposed to take a lesson with Alison but she wasn't able to make it so I went and got Sarge and brought him up to do his feet.   His tail was matted from  him rubbing his backside.  I put a ton of Cowboy Magic on it and slowly brushed it out.  I rinsed him off and brushed his mane.  Such a sweet boy!  Lee Ann wanted to do Sadda's feet so I put Biscuit in the other side of the little arena.

She brought Sadda up and he snorted at Sarge once and then shut up.  He and Sarge had a run in when we first got Sarge and after that Sadda wouldn't charge at Sarge.  I started on Sarge's feet - he has nice feet but he will pull them away from me.  I used the nippers on his feet.  OMG it is hard work and I was sweating to beat the band.  I stopped in the middle of it so Lee Ann could use the hoof stand.  I was more than glad to take a break.  Started back and I think I did a pretty good job.  I took them back one at a time.  They are both so sweet!!!

Rest In Peace Vincent

I went out to the barn this morning and found the tack room in disarray over in one corner, phone off the hook, fur scattered around and then saw Vincent over near my saddles in the middle of the room.  I called to him but didn't think he was alive.  Poor Vincent had been attacted by something - is right leg at the hock area was missing flesh and hair down to the bone.  Poor darling.  He was such funny cat...he loved to be brushed and would remind you with a cuff on the hand to keep up the brushing.  He climbed up Rogue's tail when he was a kitten.  I told Edgar and he at first didn't think it was Vincent.  He went looking for him and asked Jamie if he'd seen him.  Jamie and I said "no that is Vincent".  Edgar thinks a neighbor's dog did it.  OMG that is horrible.  If they would attack Vincent they may attact the horses.  Vincent was a young cat so it wasn't like he was old and feeble and unable to move.  So sad.  He will be missed. 

Fairtale Ride in Tyrrell Park

I didn't have anyone to ride with Saturday and Sunday so I rested which I think I really needed.  The Lee Anns and I planned a ride for Monday morning.  I got out to the barn at 6:50 AM and pulled Biscuit up, giving him and Sarge carrots.  Sarge has a witches knot in his mane!  OMG.  I will ahve to get out there and clean my boy up.  Poor Biscuit had bloody bites from flies on his neck and shoulders.  I gave him his breakfast - Lee Ann B told me that they had cut their feed in half due to some chubby horses on the ranch - so I had to dump half of Biscuit's feed.  I set his feed in front of him while I got out my tack. 

I hosed Biscuit off to get rid of the bloody bites.  We loaded up about 7:55 AM and hauled to Tyrrell Park.  Biscuit was the first out of the trailer and I tied him to the tree and saddled him up.  He is very willing to give me his front legs to stretch them out to make sure he doesn't have any wrinkles under his girth.  What a sweet boy! 

I mounted up and we headed across the driveway and I saw some black animals - first I thought they were dogs - near the trailhead.  OMG it was little hogs about knee high.  Lee Ann P hollered at them and they took off.  I popped Biscuit on the shoulder to get him moving first.  We got up to the trail head and heard some rustling and Biscuit stopped and then whirled around.  He wasn't a happy camper and The Lee Ann's dismounted and I did too because Biscuit was going sideways.  I saw Ricky riding up to the office house on a golf cart so I hollered for him to help the Three Damsels in Distress.  Hahahahaha we told him about the pigs and asked if he would go down the trails and run them off.  Ricky was Prince Charming on a white charger - even if the charger was a golf cart!!!

Bless him, he did and came out and said he'd found their little house of straw, then sticks and bricks.  Hahahahah  I told him he was a smart ass.  We all fell for it hook line and sinker at first.  Biscuit was having a fit and nearly running over me - he was not happy to have the golf cart driving behind him.  We went over to the mounting block and remounted and took off.  Biscuit turned into Puss N' Boots...he was certain the Big Bad Wolf was behind every tree.  He threw it into reverse and backed up and Rogue and Lee Ann took the lead.  Legato gave Biscuit a few nasty faces - she is so funny and expressive.  We saw a huge owl fly up into the tree - wish I could have gotten my camera out!!!   We went around to the back side and I tried to get Biscuit to take the lead...popping his shoulder with the crop but he threw it into reverse again.  He finally took over the lead so we could clear out spiders.  Lots of animal sounds moving in the woods.  We went around and kept going and Biscuit just gave me a tiny bit of flack at the trailhead but kept on going.  By then the horses had settled down and were happy campers.  The deer flies were buzzing around and I squished several.  Biscuit shook his head several times to get rid of them. 

When we were through with our ride I took his tack off and gave him a carrot.  He was watching Lee Ann P eat a power bar...LOL  Biscuit is a treat hound.  He is always looking for a treat for The Biscuit.  We loaded up and hauled back to the ranch.  I rinsed Biscuit off and he is getting so much better about having his head sprayed.  I keep working on hit.  Later I was rinsing the washrack and all of a sudden he startled up so hard he scared me.  LOL  I think he went to sleep and Legato came up to his head.  She was loose in the arena.  I think she scared the snot out of him.  What a sissy.  I put fly spray on him and took him back to his paddock. 

My feet are still going numb in the saddle.  Lee Ann B said I was sitting crooked and when I straightened up it helped my feet immediately.  I am going to try to raise them one more notch and try that.  I hope that works.  I like this saddle - it is light weight and FITS The Biscuit. 

Flies Galore

Kade went to the barn with me today.  His dad picked him up right when we got Biscuit up to the front.  I tacked Biscuit up by the tack room and mounted up in the arena.  Right as soon as I got on, Ms. Jean's grandson and another kid put something in the dumpster and slammed the door on it.  Biscuit started but that goodness he didn't take off.  I went half way around the arena and realized I had his reins crossed under his chin.  DUH.   I dismounted and redid his reins and remounted.  I noticed the flies were bad.  We started riding and the flies were all over the place and obviously bothering him.  He kept biting at his chest and shaking his head.   We did work on side passing, backing up and turning on the haunches.  He did well but was being a jerk because of the flies.  They were awful.  We rode about 45 minutes.  When I got off I could see why he was so pissy.  They were ALL over his legs, chest and girth area.  Those nasty little black biting flies.  Poor guy.  I took his tack off and rinsed him off.  I worked on desensitizing him to spraying his head.  He is getting so good about it.  Still got a long way to go but getting better.  I sprayed him with Deep Woods Off.  He was shining like gold when I returned him to his paddock!!!

The ride was not a fun one but he did get worked and that is important!!

Side Pass The Biscuit Please

I rode Monday in the arena.  We worked again on side passing.  Biscuit did a great job.  Once he had a melt down - he kinda crow hopped a little bit, shaking his head to let me know he was DONE with side passing.  I am sorry to say I jerked his mouth some.  I instantly felt bad and realized that doesn't help in the least.  DUMB OWNER syndrome.  We rode for an hour.  Allison said she had worked on leg yields but not side passing.  He seems to understand turning on the haunches but he goes at it too fast.  Will work on slowing that down.  He was a pleasure to ride. 

Everything But Flying Monkeys

Kellie got received in the Steele saddle tree, I think Thursday.  She took Elan to Doc Schneiter Saturday and he said it fit.  He did tell her to let Elan tell her how it feels by riding in it.  Last time she couldn't get him to trot/canter.  So she texted me and asked if I wanted to ride Saturday evening when it cooled off. 

I had two wedding cakes - one to Brandon and Heather's wedding.  I delivered the cakes around 1:20 PM and made it to the wedding.  It was nice to see my boys in tuxes with Brandon and Blaine!  The cake was a big hit with the couple.  I left the reception around 5:15 PM and went home and changed.  I picked up Biscuit and hauled out to the park.  We met at 7:00 because it was blazing hot and humid on Saturday.

We tacked up and headed into the trails.  They were dry and hard baked in most places - some mud and water in some places.  We went to the right.  We could hear an owl hooting!  We went down past the 2nd ride away and crossed some mud.  Biscuit sunk down and pulled his back legs out - fling mud EVERYWHERE - a chunk flew into my hair.  Gaaaa.  We rounded down to the back and Kellie ran into a spiderweb and her hat came off.  She got off of Elan to get it and was totally grossed out thinking a spider was on her.  I reassured her no spiders!!  She mounted up and I took the lead to clear out spiders.  We rounded the back and got just past the metal track that is so overgrown now it is hard to see.  I told Kellie to go right go right.  LOL she thought that a spider was there - I said no - metal track! 

We could hear the owl hooting Who Who Who and I said "it is Denise and Kellie!!!"  I told Kellie I almost expected the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz to come flying out.  Biscuit stopped short and head went up, snorting.  I urged forward, he threw it in reverse and started backing up.  Kellie went forward and we heard something moving to the right and Kellie said it was a deer!!!  OMG we have heard there were deer out there but we have never seen them.  We started to go forward and heard more crashing and wow wee...a huge black hog ran from the right and across the trail and onto the other side.  OMG we have seen evidence of them up in the woods but never actually seen them.  We saw a rabbit.  Biscuit worked on his side passing while I played a little spider polo.  We wentout of the woods and crossed the road so that Kellie could trot Elan in the Steele saddle.  She did and liked it.  We got back on the trail and started a trot.  We were trotting almost to the front.  Biscuit did shake his head hard once - LOL  he wanted to GO.  We walked out of the woods and Kellie was ahead of us.  Biscuit wanted to run to catch up but I growled at him LOL like Barry does and he stopped being a patootie.

I took his tack off and put it in Kellie's trailer and then washed him off.  Kellie and I hauled Sunday morning to the beach.  Ugh...she ran over a nutria rat road kill and it splashed blood on her tire of the trailer.  She was totally grossed out.  We tacked up and my brides mom from yesterday brought my cake stuff back and she got to meet The Biscuit.  She would be perfect with Sababba!!!  The wedding went well she said which is terrific.  

Kellie and I went down the beach road, stopping when golf carts went by.  Got to the beach - way too many people.  A couple of little girls ran up behind us wanting to see the horses.  I did tell them not to get to close.  Lots of holes in the beach from people digging.  Storm was over Galveston with heavy rain.   Pelicans diving into the water was pretty cool. 

We rode only 2 miles.  Too many people.  We will ride the beach in the winter.  We took their tack off and loaded up and headed home.

There was a funnel over Galveston at the time we were riding.  It poured buckets this evening.

New Brenderup Wheel Cover is here

I had posted on the Brenderup Face Book page wanting to know if anyone knew where I could get Brenderup wheel covers as mine was shredded and looks like dammit.  Someone sent me a message saying she had bought out the remaining stock from a dealer and had a wheel cover.  I sent her a check...she sent me a wheel cover.

Look at the difference it made!!!  I HATED my B'up looked raggedy!!

Ugh....I kept it on there to protect the tire at least some!

Totally shredded!!

There!!!  Now it looks new again!!!!

I love my Brenderup trailer.  It is so easy to haul and my horses confidently walk up and down that ramp.  Biscuit is always a little unsure now when we go in a stepup!!!  So sorry they quit selling these in the US...they are fabulous!

Side Passing on The Biscuit

Today I went and ate at Chick-Fil-A - supporting my right to free speech in the good old USA - and then headed for the barn.  Biscuit saw me when I got down to the pasture and he started running around momentarily.  I walked up and put his halter on - he is very good about me catching him.  We went up to the barn and I put him on the tack rack.  Lee Ann and I talked about trails and making new trails.  Later I tacked him up.  We rode round and round in the arena.  He was pretty good today...some fussing and throwing his head but not much.  He still wanted to speed up going around corners but he was ok.  We did lots of backing up and I was working on getting him to back up without putting much pressure on his bit.  He got better each time I asked him to back. 

I then asked him to side pass to the right.  I did get some resistance but he actually went right.  Some forward motion, some going back, a pop on the shoulder sent him forward..some going to the side with his neck curved  but he did it !!!  We did it three more times ACROSS the arena.  A few more times just a step or two.  Big pats on the shoulder and lots of attaboys.  Good Biscuit. 

I was asking him to back up and wow wee, the right rein came off of the rein.  Gaaaa...it has the little scissor type latch so I was really surprised that it came off!!!  I dismounted and secured it.  I tried to put my foot in the stirrup  ahahahahahahahahahahah that didn't work.  What a water buffalo.  I went to open the gate to the big arena so Legato could come in and Biscuit just followed me from the middle of the arena like a dog.  He was such a good boy today.  Not perfect but I was pleased with his work today.

I took his tack off and rinsed him off.  He was sweaty but not dripping.  I hosed him til he was cool and scraped him off.  I took him down to the paddock and he wanted to rub his head on me.  He always wants to do that and I never let him.  I think it was his way of being affectionate but it is bad manners.  I did let him a little today.  What a guy - he is Mr. Ed, Silver, Trigger and Frances the Mule all rolled into one...Biscuit is the bomb dot com.