DAY 22 & 23 - A Very Good Pony

Yesterday was Monday, always my "tired" day, but I got up and got my chores and errands done and picked up a bowl of fish chowder from the health food store to snarf down before I got down to business with Possum. I picked his paddock and filled his water buckets first, then I hitched him up to the outside cross ties to groom him. He was pretty good for that. Then, I led him into the stall to tack up.

I mounted from the paddock stump, and he stood rock still. We took a short walk around the paddock, and then headed out the gate and took a left down the road. We walked all the way down to the bottom of the hill and took a short trot on the good stretch towards Dr. Doyles old place. We stood and looked at the house, which has a big chain across the driveway with a "private" sign on it, and wished we could walk around back and head out into the fields behind the house, like we did last year while it was still on the market.

Then we took a trot back towards the scary pipe, and he did not bat an eye at it. We cantered a short bit up the hill, then slowed to a trot and then a walk, and took a right onto Dad's land and through the path behind his house. At the bottom of the dip, we transitioned into a canter and rode all the way up to his field, then walked the rest of the way up to the path at the back of our land. We walked a bit to catch our breath, then rode up to the little cross rail jump and hopped over that. We took a right back onto the road and walked up to the Dodge barn. We said hello to Big Mack, and then walked over to Donna, who was refilling her big water tub, and we chatted for a bit.

Then I walked him out to the part where we've had our lessons, and I cantered him in each direction for half a circle. Then I directed him up to the flat part right behind their house and trotted around in each direction a few times, concentrating on my form and keeping him straight and up. Harder then it sounds!

We said goodbye to Donna and then took a short walk down to Lenny's old place, and then up to the field across the street from his house. We stopped at the top and took in the view, then walked around and back down to the road. Another short trot up to the Dodge barn, and then walked home. He was very good, and we were out for an hour.
(Taking in the view and listening to the crows at the top of the field across from Lenny's old place.)

                                              

Playing around with Possum in his paddock on Monday night. :)

Today there was light rain all morning, and I was expecting the chimney sweep guys sometimes between 12 and 2, so I used the morning to pick his paddock, fill his water, prepare the trash to go to the dump later in the day, and go through my yoga routine. As it got closer to 1:30 in the afternoon and the guys still had arrived, I put Possum's halter on and clipped him up to the outdoor cross ties to give him a good grooming. By this time, the rain had stop and the sun was beginning to come back out, and Possum was very tolerant of my grooming, only threatening to kick once. He stopped after I corrected him. It's mostly a ticklish thing, not a nasty, mean thing.

Then the guys showed up, so I spent the next hour dealing with them, as they cleaned our chimney and then I let them into Dad's to clean his. Dad is down in Cambridge today checking out a senior living apartment (though he sent me a text to say he probably wasn't going to move there..)

After the guys left, I changed into my boots and led Possum into the stall to tack him up. We went out to the paddock to mount up, and walked around the paddock a little bit, then back out the gate and left down the road again. I could tell he was happy to be out and about, making the rounds.

We went into Dad's driveway and took the path to the side of the house towards the big path in the woods. At the bottom of the dip, we trotted back up and then took a left down the road. Instead of going straight to Dr. Doyle's today, we decided to walk all the way down New Road, trotting a couple of times where the footing was good. He was being so good!

When we got to the end of the road, I turned him right onto the back property of the Downing's place, and walked him along the tree line and onto the path behind their house. Hopefully, we won't get in trouble if they ever see us on their property.. I don't think they'd be too upset, though.

We walked along the path, with all of it's twists and turns, and eventually trotted back up to the road and headed back. At one of the good parts of the road, I kicked him into a canter. We trotted a bit halfway back up the hill, then continued straight up to our house. I was going to go up to the Dodge barn to visit Big Mack, but I saw Don out in the driveway, and so instead, I asked him if he would video me jumping Possum over the little cross rail jump. We didn't really end up jumping, it was more of a trotting over the jump, but it was fun anyway. I'd like to try that again sometime..

Walking back to the bottom of the hill.

                                              

       (Trotting up the hill towards home today.)

                                              
                                                 Trotting over the jump (excuse the swearing at the end.)

                                              
                                                             Trotting over the jump (third time.)
Then it was time to finish, and Possum was happy to get his bridle and saddle off and go out to the backyard for some grazing. We had been out just a little under an hour, and I'd say he was excellent today!