It's getting dark too early!

Poptart is learning how to take syringed meds in prepration for learning to take electrolytes at rides.. especially now that it getting dark so early it is a good thing to work on in the barn. Thank you to Foxcatcher Endurance for the 25 LD completion award - the nice syringe smile emoticon Otherwise we are continuing to build confidence (and recently more obedience!)

Silver Eagle Stables De-Spooking Clinic

Poptart attended Silver Eagles Stables, Nokesville, Va, in-hand despooking clinic this weekend. He practiced trailering by himself, having an overnight sleepover in a new barn, then playing in an arena with obstacles and new horses all day. It was perfect! The weather was great, the atmosphere was relaxed, the trainer Drew did a great job teaching and creating the obstacles. Check out the pictures and video of Poptart's "completion round"!

and he met the neighbors of Silver Eagle Stables

Confidence on the trail

Poptart had the weekend off as Graham and I worked on fencing the future riding arena. However last weekend we had a great 3 hour, 7 mile trail ride at Sandy Ridge/Squirrel Gap in the George Washington National Forest with Chance and Missy. We encountered lots of potential horse-devouring rocks and boulders (none actually lept out and attacked the horses, imagine that!! LOL!); a nice hiker admiring the view -- this time Poptart recognized him as a normal human, yay!!; a flock of, thankfully calm, turkeys; another horse-eating boulder that had blowing leaves next to it -- OH MY, Chance had to be brave and take the lead :); a large buck deer that galloped across the trail in front of us-- apparently this was normal and not a cause to be worried; a stick that caught on Poptarts hind leg-- this was the scariest moment as this is what landed me in the ER this summer, but this time Poptart squatted, kicked at it and listened very well to my 1-rein stop instead of having a bucking panic attack, Yay Progress!!!; a lost hoof boot on a steep and rocky downhill-- this was impressive because at first I tied Poptart with Chance and Missy while I went to search for the boot, but he paced and wanted to come with me rather than stay with the other horse-- more progress and relationship building :); and the rest went great-- Missy and I practiced 'leap-frogging' and transitions on the nice gravel forest-service road, got loads of nice trotting and about 2 strides of canter.

And this coming weekend we have an overnight trip to an in-hand despooking clinic in Nokesville, VA. Fun, fun!!!