After the freeze

Happy to report that the Arctic blast was a non issue for our ponies! Last Friday the BO and I met to have a lovely winter trail ride. Weather was 33 degrees (warm!) but as we tacked up, we realized...Uh, we are totally snowed in. No gates would open enough for our horses to get through.

So, we just hacked around their pasture.

I was convinced Laz would be so lazy and tired from working so hard to stay warm...uh no. Firecracker pony, BUT with manners. It did take him a good 20 minutes of warming up and pushing forward to get him to snort out a "OKKKKKK" and starting thinking.

Silly boy

Fuzzy ears in a Topline Leather beaded and crystal browband. Don't mind if we do!

I've be alternating his bitted with bitless just so he's comfortable in each.

Happy to report, he goes along the same in both

I definitely ride different when he's bitted, as I try to avoid hanging on him for balance and try twinkling my reins vs pulling.  I developed bad habits so I'm working on them

We had some lovely bouncing, and lofty trotting through the tall snow!

Pito (the BO's horse) was having a hard time so she was going to cut her ride short. I offered for her to play with Laz, while I sat on Pito so we could both have fun trotting in the snow.

They looked great!

Chubby pony alert! (love that belly)

***

The next day I wante to drive out but waited until Sunday as the roads were a mess!

 Sunday  it was in the low 40's. HEAVENLY!

However, it caused a big melt of a lot (uh a lot) of snow and things got icy and sloppy pretty quick

The dirt road leading to the barn, no road riding for a bit... (total sheet of ice)

I was due to have a lesson to work on Laz's bucking (and overall uncontrolled excitement out in the front pasture) but with the weather, it's hard to pick a day and hope mother nature will cooperate. So, we've kept to having positive, successful rides where he's comfortable to work on a happy partnership again.

I rode him in his bitless and we played in the snow.

He was loose, forward, snorty and awesome

We like to make hearts in the snow

Laz smiled out of no where (oh wait, I DID have cookies in my pocket and he knows it)

I was using treats as a 'good boy' for his forward action with no silliness.

Laz has also learned when I say "gooooood boy" that he thinks it means STOP. So, we'll trot along and I'll praise him "GOOOOD BOYYYY" and he halts proudly. He is too smart!

So, I just shut my mouth and rode him and he was 100000% a team player and awesome. I ended it on a great note without asking/asking/asking until he feels I over ask (which I can do) and it was glorious.

I love those great days of riding with a true giving partnership.

***

Laz is due for a trim towards the end of the month.

His thrush is closing up a bit more and I see some changes in his sole (good changes!!!) on his lateral side...

This has closed even more since photo

After the storm, my feeder pan was BURIED in 2ft of snow, which is I feed Laz his warm, soaked salted hay cube mash.

Guess who dug it out and proudly carried it for an hour

What a bubba

Melted in my lap on the couch later that night