The Countdown Begins

There are no pictures for this post, no one is ever around when I need them but I had to share.  Sammy was a superstar today.  Thanks to our friend and mentor, we have been working a bit on the lunge getting Sammy to have slow feet and using his hind end to free up his shoulder.  As we know, I am his handicap and I am working on some coordination issues (I'm sure you all have trouble believing that!)  We don't lunge every time I visit him but try to mix it up a bit.  The  2 times before today have been, oh, rather exuberant on Sammy's part.  This is understandable, new home, cold weather, covered arena.  I get it.  But all I could think of was, uhoh, we could be dead soon.  Because....drum roll please.....he will be started under saddle in less than 3 weeks. (more on that later)  But today....ah, today.  How can I tell you what a good day today was.  I have been working for 9 straight days but got off early today and ran to the barn with Remy.  It was warm, 70 degrees, and sunny and blue skies. Sammy was the perfect gentleman in the crossties and tacking up. And what a good little man he was on the lunge line today. There was no playing, he walked politely, trotted when asked, slowly and with his back round and free.  It was a beautiful thing.  Several walk trots in both directions and then we were done.  He was a grown up today and somehow he knew exactly what I needed.  I don't care anymore that I'm exhausted from all the extra hours at work I've been putting in....it doesn't really matter.  It doesn't matter that I have 3 more 12 hour days to go before I get 2 complete days off.  Today was a good day. Thanks Sammy.

Anne Kenan will be down for 3 days starting March 19 to help us get Sammy started under saddle. She has long been an influence for us both directly and indirectly through Kacee and I could think of no one I would rather have help us get him started.  Her philosophies on horsemanship mirror our own and truthfully ours were probably greatly shaped by hers. This was my hope when Sammy was first born but didn't really think it would be possible.  But here we are, less than 3 weeks away so I am now a believer.  (She has her flight reservations so I don't think there is any turning back now)  I expect there will be more pictures and video than you will ever care to see then.  So start your engines, Sammy will be carrying someone around soon.

I can't post without at least 1 picture.  Here is Remy and Bella enjoying the sunshine.