Just what the therapist ordered

An update on Opie's legs (all four of them in case you forgot): They're fine, he's fine, literally almost nothing to see here a couple days post-dumb. He had a farrier appointment Wednesday morning, and since I try to be a considerate client and not put poor Farrier under a creature ready to explode, I stuck Dopie on the longe before she came.

He hadn't been worked in three days at that point, but when I let the line out he chose to trot and canter on his own at a perfectly sensible and balanced pace. I stopped him, gave him a candy, and switched sides. Again, things were going swimmingly until his BFF/Soul Mate let out a scream for him and Opie left.

Like, peace, bitch. I've got a Soul Mate to return to.

things were so going well.

He dragged me more than halfway across the ring before I got him stopped. He wasn't down with that though and reared in my face. Repeatedly. At which point he got spanked with the whip and put on a two inch circle until his brain was back in his head, and he returned to trotting around like nothing had happened.

I warned Farrier that he was being a Grade A Shit Head lately. She looked over at him standing on the crossties with his eyes bugging out and his head trying to touch the ceiling and we braced ourselves for a good time. Fortunately he only tried to set back against the crossties once (when BFF once again screamed for him), but by the end of the appointment he was hanging out with a drooping lip and a cocked leg.

"me? cause drama? never."

After two weeks to get through of a laundry list of repairs, I finally got my truck back Tuesday night from our new--and fucking amazing--mechanic just in time to drop my car off for its second appointment (which is still under warranty, thank fuck). With old lady Growler running like a brand new vehicle, I decided spur of the moment it was time to take our first outing of the year. Since we're supposed to be bombarded with rain and snow for the next eternity, even though it wasn't warm yesterday the sun was enough to get me out to the park.

apparently no one else thought it was nice enough to ride.
we were all by ourselves.

I expected Opie to be a little jiggy once we got there, but my main concern was the trailer. I was dreading all those months of hard work I did last year getting this horse solid about trailering had been lost over the winter when he didn't go anywhere. Never fear, #childgenius here, he walked right on both times and stood rock solid while I scooted behind him and latched him in.

not that there wasn't side eye obvi.

In fact, he was A Very Good Boy the entire trip. The only time he made a peep was the spot he always calls out--at a lodge in the distance he seems convinced is a barn. He was flat footed, calm, unconcerned by the several asshole drivers that sped by him, strolled past the wildlife without a thought, and had a lovely loose, swinging back the entire ride. He was happy to stretch down on a long rein or get picked up and trot lightly on the bit.

a slow meander is about as fast as you can get the deer to move

these geese were so obnoxious.
just trying to wade over here, bros.

He wasn't entirely perfect. He did try a couple half-assed Nopes about such arduous tasks like walking over a muddy dip in the ground and walking through leaves blown up against the base of hills instead of launching over them. Life it hard, yo. We also finished the ride in the branches of an apple tree within feet of my trailer. He took offense to a cement block and whirled around directly into the tree. I didn't even mind getting smacked in the face by a branch because I knew he took the brunt of it. Way to self-punish, you tool.

regrets nothing.

He gets today off because even though it was a shorter ride than I usually do when we're there, the two brief canters showed that while homie might be strong as an ox right now, he needs some help in the cardio department. Hopefully winter ends some time this century and we can ditch the arena to start the fun fitness work!