A damn good ride

This boy.

He has been worth all the struggle in the past. He is just a damn great horse.

There was something in his eyes, years ago, that told me how sweet he was/is. More so, IS.

He has turned to be very loyal, trusting and loves to seek loving affection.

A far cry from the antsy, nervous, dancing pony I had even just a few years ago.

Patience is key. And turnout ;)

Tacking up for a much needed ride in the pasture

Laz just ground ties like a champ. I never use cross ties with him. Not that I can't, but he doesn't need it and it's great to not be limited to one section of the barn area.

Him just being curious and turning around to smell/touch things. Love him

Standing still as a statue for him as I mount up, lazy ears

Our sun bleached hair matches...what can I say?

Just loving on this guy

He has been so sound and fluid lately, it's great!

Stretching/snorting during a trot

This is why I ride with crazy long reins, I love to allow him to stretch down and release his back muscles

Opening up his trotting stride 

I love how Laz doesn't care if the other two are out grazing while we ride. In fact, he's focused and happy

Working on our canter a bit. I love his neck below. I hate how I curled up like a perched frog lol

My forever bad habit below, leaning forward, pulling knees up. UGH.

Good boys get good pats!

Definitely need to lower my stirrups a hole...

but look at my beautiful chunky boy

It was a lovely, relaxed ride for us both. Just what I needed and I think, him too

Not bad for an OTTB who took his momma and his future brother (I'm 5 months pregnant) on a fun little ride

I'm so lucky to have this ponyface boy and so is our future baby.

I can't wait to have him give pony rides as well as trail ride again (next year).

I've got some girls (that I trust immensely) lined up to ride Laz this Fall for when I get too big so he can still go out and enjoy trail rides.

Yoga Pants and gym shoes

My husband stretching pre run. He ran a 10K last Saturday that was hosted on a Ranch, so...I drug myself out of bed at 5:30 am to tag along.

"A ranch you say??? Ya, I'll come !"

Plus it was just 30 minutes west of Laz so I knew I could work in a visit on the way back

While he ran, I was stalking the barn trying to get in...to no avail

They had trail rides but the first one left at 10, which was when he was finishing his race.

DARN it

How random is this?! A Perch and a POA?? Now where have we seen this before ;)

Klein and Mocha doppelgangers!

On this ranch, you can CAMP WITH YOUR HORSE! Can you see the two black Tennessee walkers? 

I.want.to.camp.with.Laz.

Campgrounds, miles of horse trails...and um excuse me, a new pool.

Uh yea. I'm down with that.

Good job Billy!

RunnerFace

Next up, our pony visit on the way home!

A quick demo of "How to freak your pony"

Laz is down with a good freakin'

I FINALLY used my new pad I bought in April at the Rolex. 

It's from Horze and it's YELLOW and shiny and puffy as I struggled with his girth.
OOOFff

My tall, dark and handsome boy

 Yoga pants and nikes--yea, it happened

 Laz's cast is still on and this Saturday it will be two weeks..hoping for it to last at least 3

 Oh the truth hurts, nice chin up ;)

 Left lead is so good, Right lead has spotty moments. I'm not pushing it until he has re-balanced 

 Our 'extended' trot

 Loving this barn time

 Classic face

Classic attire ;)

But wait my pad matches my laces-boo ya

Last Tuesday, Mason woke up stiff and sore. The worse we've ever seen. Randomly too as he hadn't really done anything new or different. He couldn't walk. He laid down and would cry when he tried to move. I cancelled my appointments, put a towel around his rib cage and took him right to the vet. I do NOT mess around when it comes to my Mason.

Billy came to meet us there on his way home. Mason was so happy

 

He was diagnosed with overall body soreness. Being 10+ yrs, it's bound to happen.
We got two scripts of painkillers/muscle relaxers and in 36 hours he felt better.

 Pudgie was very concerned and wouldn't leave his brothers side.

For two weeks, Mason has to rest/heal so no barn time for this brown angel.

He will get new bloodwork to make sure meds didn't react with his liver/kidneys and we'll have a script on hand to use as needed for him. For big swim days, etc. Just on days when this old man needs a little additional comfort. It was a jolt of reality for us. Mason isn't a puppy anymore. But thankfuly, he is currently happy and pain free and moving.

***

 This Wednesday, we were supposed to have a lesson but it got cancelled so we worked on cavaletti exercises

This is what Laz thought of them

What was awesome was I had him on the lunge, while I yanked out two of the cavalettis out of our storage stall, drug it out to the field, all the while he walked next to me. Not a care in the world.

 We worked on w/t/c over two poles and stopping, one foot over at a time, backing up, etc and he got a lot of licorice nibs for being stellar

 Thursday am, the BO and I set plans for a trail ride.

The weather was perfect, sunny and 68

 Walking through with our baby boys

Some of our friends we saw out on the trail

 Laz and I leading (side note, does anyone else wear a sad fanny pack so you can carry your phone/treats? I want a nice one, not like Gucci nice, just better than Walmart-le sigh. Why doesn't the horse industry make a cool one?!)

The trails are just so pretty, we are so lucky to have them and do not take them for granted. 

Riding in Michigan is pretty phenomenal.