Room with a Lake view

Not only was it a beautiful day out, it was a great day with Laz too.

My husband and I headed out to the farm today after some coffee and relaxing for a bit with our two dogs with us.

When we got there, it started getting windier but was still nice out.  Cool but sunny.  

Laz was laying in his new sandy spot that he dug out at the far end of his paddock.

It's got a beautiful view of the next door neighbor's lake/pond and I was laughing that it's his room with a water view!

The sun felt so warm

This is one, loose lipped content little OTTB

Lazarus is pretty great about letting me walk up to him, talk to him and rub on him while he naps.  I try not to disturb him too much but today he was open to it. He was groaning with contentment and kept nuzzling his nose in the ground and sighing.  He was just enjoying nap time...it's not because his feet hurt (or anymore than his normal)

Still a little ribby but he gets free access to hay, and gets his Trip Crown L/S feed, it may just be him bouncing back slowly.  Just had him tested for worms being he hasn't had any wormer since he got sick, and it came back -he's worm free.  He is in good physical shape considering..I just wish he looked a bit rounder, but that is more for me than him

I mean, look at that face and perfect little crescent moon star on his forehead! I love how my hair and his mane are kinda one big windblown mess blurred together

Tip: don't kiss your dirty sand loving horse with chapstick on.

oops

I was teasing here and pushed his airplane ears forward for a good head shot.

So after posing and playing with him, I just started rubbing him. 

 I used my thumbs along his spine and he let out a big fart, lol

I rubbed deeply and then gently, and pulled out on his bad foot's leg.  I just know that avoiding walking on one leg since October has to also do a number on his muscles and alignment.  I'm not a professional anything, but I know I'm a sucker for a massage and will basically take it from anyone.  Laz apparently is too.

He really, really, really, was enjoying this buttock massage

Rubbing, rubbing...

He was falling asleep during my massage

The BO said "see if you can get him to lay on his side and really relax" so I asked...

And he gave

Rubbing, stretching and working on stretching him before our arena walking lesson

I laughed out to Billy and said "Who shot my horse?!" 

Happy boy

He even allowed Billy to come over and rub his eyes (his favorite) and his forehead

Billy kept the dogs busy playing so I could chill with Laz and of course took pictures too.  Pudgie, our Frenchie still isn't great about understanding the fences are electric, so we turned them off while we were out there with the BO's permission

So the BO "C" again helped me LOADS today.  We worked on Laz and I walking in the arena.  Sounds so simple, but add wind, an OTTB, a green owner and it's not.  I'm not ashamed to ask for help when I feel we need it.  So we had "C" in there with her suggestions, her teaching and training.  All for me being a better leader/owner and for him to be a better mannered horse who thinks instead of panicking when scared.  

So I need to work on me being a brave leader for Lazarus.  Giving him the correct leading signals while I'm leading him.  Teaching him to respect my space (which is so hard for me when he spooked a couple times and rushes up behind me and I think-Hooves on head trample!!) by stepping in front of him with my back at him to block him from coming forward and reminding him that I'm leading you and you are safe with me. LOL! It's a very tough thing for me but I can see that Laz NEEDS a leader and I have to be that for him.  We worked for about a 1/2 hour with my Clinton Anderson halter/lead combo which I love btw because of how you can feel him thru that halter and lead, and use the lead in a number of ways for training. 

  Then she had me release him and 'free' lead him which he did good.  A couple times the surrounding grass tempted him but I grabbed him back and rewarded him when he listened and followed me with a carrot.  I'll have to get pictures of it. It's very cool and at times (like in the scary corners) I feel my heart rate go up.  In fact, I let out a forced sigh and it spooked Laz, lol.  So I did it again and again so he got over it.  He did very well today and was pretty tired when we were done. OH! And he walked EXCELLENT, hardly limpy and is looking really good.  

We put him back in his paddock, he drank a few big gulps of water (good for the detoxing of his massage) and was a happy boy.  I picked his feet (he picked them up...good boy!) and he is still barefoot 100% and doing well without his easyboots and still easing off his Equioxx meds.

See you tomorrow Bubba