Kiki is coming along so well. She is gaining weight and is sassy as ever. Aren't all mares at some point? She has just enough umph to keep the boys going and enough experience to not spook at a mailbox. After a bit of a snack break we put all the tack together and got her out of the paddock. Of course Olly thought we were taking her away forever, we just stayed in the yard. 
One of the problems we were having with the pony riding was grass eating. I was talking to my trainer about it and she said why son't you put grazing reins one her? DUH!!! How did I not think of that? So after fitting all the tack, I grabbed some nylon rope and fit it just enough that Kiki couldn't reach the ground. Colton was beaming. He was much more confident that she wasn't going to eat grass he hopped right into the saddle and rode her around the yard like he had been doing it al his life. No Fear! 
Grass eating reins functioning!
I remember when I was 9 years old, Slick, the first real pony I had, always wore a standing martingale. My dad told me it was so he couldn't rear. Now I think back and feel like a total idiot, but then it made me feel better. I would NEVER ride that pony with out the martingale. Just because I thought I would be safe. I knewthis was the same thing with Colton. I would attach anything to that pony just to make him feel safe. Granted this piece of equipment was actually for what I said it was, but that is besides the point. So I let all 3 boys ride. They loved it. once they were done I took a turn. I have been dying to know how this pony rides. So first I just put some of my weight across her. I am sure the neighbors were thinkin what in the hell is she doing? I didn't want to just jump up on her. She is a grandma. After finding some osrt of mounting block so I didn't slam onto her back from swinging up on her, I started with just walk. She didn't have one problem holding me. She actually started to trot around. She is quite a spunky one, that Kiki. She did great. Not too stubborn and not to complient. Just enough fight to make the boys learn. I knew she was a good buy. After a few laps around the yard I got off. It was time to get the baths going. i don't think she has had many baths in her life. She seems to be a bit skeptical of the water. Olly tries to drink out of the hose, but Kiki keeps a wide eye on me. Colton and I washed and combed her head to toe. She seemed to enjoy the currying though. Clean pony coming through!!! She is so cute.
I left her mane long for you Holly!!! 
After her bath it was dinner and then back out to ride Olly. He is such a beautiful horse. I look at him every day and think i am the luckiest person in the world. When I go outside, no matter what time, he will neigh and say hi to me. He truely enjoys being my horse. 
I could tell that this ride would be interesting. He hadn't been ridden in like 4 days. That is the limit for him. Anymore than that and he is totally out of control. It is like someone fed him sugar. I was prepared. I could see the look in his eye when I tried to get on and he was almost walking in place. He wanted to go. Well maybe he needs to go...so I started out down the road to our trail. I am sure by now the neighbors know when I am rideing just due to him neighing to Kiki all the way down the road. Every few steps I feel this jiggle all over. Crazy horse! As we get to the entrance I loosen my grip on the reins. As I start posting he is in a trot. And not one or those choppy flat back trots. He was round and pushing! Nice! I just went with it. As we slowed to round the corner to our field I could see 2 kids running through the grass. I am sure it was to pet the pretty horse. Olly hadn't seen them yet. Be ready I think. I can just see them speeding out of the tall, almost over their head, grass and there I go into the weeds. As thought, poof there the kids are. I wait for it and...nothing! He just stands there like he knew it all along. I KNOW he didn't see those kids. He was off in lala land trying to find Kiki. Either way he didn't spook and that is an improvement! I wasn't in the mood to play pet my horse so we said hi and kept going. We get to my make-shift grass arena and try some transitions. As usual he isn't paying attention so I have to mix it up every other step. I learned alot from this new trainer, how to use my legs in so many ways so I decided no time is better than the present. We started out at a medium trot on the short sides of the "arena" and lengthened on the long. he was doing pretty good, but was cutting the corners, so that is where the legs came in. Whatta ya know...? He was way beeter than that 3 yr old I rode on Thurs. Maybe he is better than I thought. We did more transitions w-t-c and most importantly halt. 
We tried to be square... The halt was iffy, but the rest was good. He was actually collecting better than normal. I chalk it up to my legs and paying more attention to what I am doing. Who would have thought I was the one wrong...lol. End on a good note, right? And we did. Our ride back to the house was, again, nothing but communicating with gf back home. At least I got him to listen to me when I needed it. Back to the barn to get a nice well deserved bath and some linament spray. He was so worn out he only drank from the hose twice. I like to see Olly calm, it means we had a GOOD ride!
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