Soonie and the cart

Today Bubba and I took advantage of a 60 degree day (WTF December?) and went out on one of our magical death defying hacks down the road. :)

After he had a week totally off and free of my obsessing, we had a lovely walk with minimal traffic.  If anything, the drivers were actually courteous this time!  I have to acknowledge it when it happens.  We did a couple of trot sets, and even went for a brisk canter down the long stretch toward the middle of the ride.  Soon was fantastic, he was definitely feeling good and was kicking into a whole different gear (but still nothing like what he did on the track, I'm sure), but he came back when I asked.  Immediately afterward we turned around and walked home on the buckle.  I love the fact that he needs absolutely no prep work, and can come off a week vacation, go out in the open and run around and be a complete gentleman about it.  He is amazing.  :)

On the way home we came across a fellow boarder, who was out driving her mare down the road.  Soonie had seen the cart out once before and it went pretty well once he figured out it wasn't a horse eating monster.  So this afternoon he sees them a few hundred feet ahead, and we go from moseying along on the buckle, to a much brisker "LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT, I GOT THIS!" march.  Very eager to have a close up look, which earned him some compliments from the driver when we hung around and chatted for a moment, which he was also very good for.  One thing I haven't really elaborated on is Bubba's brave/bold attitude.  His reaction in the face of something that's questionable or scary is most often to go towards it and examine it.  Very rarely does he spook and leave.  In fact, on the rare occasions he spooks at all, it's usually a quick sideways step, then he turns around to look, and then wants to climb on the scary thing.  It's nice to have a forward thinking horse, especially in situations that are potentially scary for him. 

"Ugh.  She's back."

Long rein walk, about 20 seconds after hand-galloping down the road

"I felt the wind in my face!"