Today for me, yesterday for Rufus. After 4+ inches of rain on Friday when we'd planned to move him over, yesterday was only partially rainy. The weather forecast called for scattered morning showers. We had showers with occasional scattered dry spots.
Rufus will be staying with our friends the vets for the time being. I wasn't keen on introducing another gelding to the herd at the farm, and J really doesn't want any more horses on her pasture at present. This way T will be able to ride with them while I'm not here, so it works out well. We can trailer one way or the other on the weekends when I'm back.
Rufus was not pleased about getting into the trailer by himself, and expressed his displeasure with his standard evasive maneuver which seems to consist of backing up and popping his front feet off the ground. I circled him, thankful I'd attached the LONG leadrope, occasionally offering him the opportunity to load in nicely. After only a couple minutes, when we walked up to the trailer he stepped right in. We'll be working more on that, and on some longeing, as he tends to shoulder in toward you when sent round.
At the vets' place we saddled up and went for a ride. Rufus will have one pasture mate for the time being, a very laid back, very pretty buckskin mare. We figured introducing them that way wouldn't be a bad thing. After about 8 miles they were happy to be home and when we turned them loose they walked over to stand hipshot in the shade nose to tail.
So I got to ride Rufus. I think he knows quite a bit more than he's telling, and we'll be figuring him out for a while. He's not as smooth as Sunny (don't tell T!) and at present he's a bit confused as to where he lives so decided he wanted to turn in at every farm we passed. It's pretty apparent that he's gotten away with some barn sour behavior at some point, and now he tests occasionally. He didn't have quite as much luck balking with me, and I think the less luck he has, the less he'll try it.
Afterwards I stopped over at the farm to check on the herd. The mosquitoes are getting really bad. Hopefully we'll have some dry days and some heat for a while and dry some of them up!
3 comments:
Congrats on your new job! How was your first day? So do you have to travel to this job for the week and then you're home for the weekend? I'm confused on the moving part:-)
What your cats didn't watch Peanut's vacuum video to show how great it is? LOL
Do Sunny or Rufus have any problem holding a canter or a lope? Do they swap leads in the back alot?
LOL! First day was overwhelming, but they usually are, aren't they? All that paperwork to get through.
The cats would be quite amazed at Peanut's video. They are both positive that vacuums eat critters!
I haven't noticed either Sunny or Rufus switching leads in back. But I haven't ridden Rufus enough yet to know much. Sunny definitely resists picking up a left lead unless we're on a circle. Then he's fine. But straight lines he prefers to carry himself on his right lead, and he's pretty stubborn about it. Just not enough riding....
Boy , I've missed a lot. Is this your new gelding, Rufus? I'm confused. It's been raining here all day and chilly, was hoping to ride a bit today, but too cruddy out.
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