Spring Sillies

Bobby had the past two days off while I took care of some things at home (like a freshly spayed puppy who didn't want to eat her food for three days) and generally hid inside from the 30* temps. I did stop in the barn once on my way to the vet to turn him loose for some rumpus time in the ring and give him some carrots.

Carrots are his fave snack EVAR, so he felt it was totally justified that when he was hanging out in his stall with the door open and I wasn't paying attention to him/feeding him said carrots, he flung my grooming tote across the barn aisle to uncover the half-hidden bag.

"hellooooo. where are the cookies?"

He was equally obnoxious fun today so he got a speed tack in his jump saddle and his own snaffle bridle I finally dug out for him. I think I've settled on a slow twist for his hunter outfit. I only have a loose ring with that mouthpiece, but I'm sure I'll be able to dig a dee up at the tack swap next weekend.

Then we went up to the outdoor because it was finally free of snow!!! YAY!!!

the noseband needs to come up, but that can be done when the nose of the horse isn't
stuffed in your face because it's sooo hungryyy.

Bobby's warm up flat work wasn't quite as focused as it is in the indoor, but that's par for the course when we ride outside. His jumping, however, was on point. Outdoor jumping > indoor jumping any day of the week.

We warmed up over the single barrel a few times each way because Bobby loves him a good skinny. Then we headed for the coop which looks decidedly small and not at all scary this year. I actually looked down at it in disdain as we flatted by it. 2'7" cross country jump, you don't impress us. My horse is ten now. We're too grown up to be afraid of you anymore.

I actually had to add some substantial leg to get Bobby to jump the thing from a good distance because he wasn't impressed with it either. Bobbys lope such silly fences now. Gone are the days of this:

me: look, naughty baby horse. we can approach it without it eating you.
bobby: NOT SURE THAT'S THE TRUTH.

We only did that a few times from the left before I got bored and wandered out of the ring with the hopes of doing a mini trail ride. Bobby proceeded to "spook" (His spooks involve much snorting and sometimes a sideways head--very serious stuff.) at pretty much everything we passed. The tarp that's been on the ground since last summer. The shavings in the outdoor bay that have lived in that spot longer than he's been at this barn. Hay. The port-a-pottie. A snake stick. My car. His reflection in the door to the warming room. A pile of snow.

It was all fair game.

"alert! i sense grass ahead! might be deadly!"

Unfortunately we didn't make it far because of a tree down over the entire trail, but at least we were out of the ring for a few minutes.

I took him out for his monthly conformation picture which he stood like a gem for and proceeded to follow me back into the barn at his usual ambling pace. That is until SOMETHING VERY SCARY HAPPENED (possibly there was air in the....air....) and he took a flying leap forward, spun around to face me, and had a snort fest.

Once I assured him I was very impressed with how crazy he is, he plodded the rest of the way back to his stall.

on high alert for all the things.
even the imaginary things.