Cooler Big Saturday, 70s+ and Duke Trotted alongside no lead

Two great rides and it ended with a fail for a 3rd ride but a beautiful trot with me and no lead line back to the herd.  I feel that working with Duke with no other people that are experts has been the most benifitial.  Just saying.  I love when it is just us.
We had two nice rides.  Terry, Laurie and myself rode with Terry and Foxie working to lead.   I like Terry, she is actually more experienced and doesnt act like she knows everything, although she may know more than everyone else.  ;)
I enjoyed the 9am ride very much.  Terry seems to want to keep it simplier on the rides I feel that she may be more of a match for me and Duke than the adventurous ones.  She enjoys a simple ride and also doesnt need to beat on the horses on the and push them on straightaway.  I love my time with Duke before the ride and after.  I felt that I shouldnt have tried to go a third time because I had already started to cue up Duke that we were finsihed for the day.  It made it even worse.
He was great on the trails, wanted to sneak in canters and also listened while we did secret tricks in the back of the ride.  Hes a good boy.  I dont want to go kicking him and pulling all the time on his mouth.

Beautiful Duke at the LakeSwing

On the 2nd ride a deer was so sweetly munching on grass on the back trail

I should have told Laurie no on the last ride around the farm. It set me back with him and I should listen to my heart when it comes to him and his work with me.

Duke is so much larger than Apache

Not a good idea for a 3rd ride with Laurie, but after was great

Hanging back I could see the swarm of horse flies at the woods  end of 2nd ride

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When Kanti got there we went out again and it was very nice.  We saw a sweet deer in the woods and we were able to trot alot.  I like both of the rides very much.  Duke was very happy on the trails and I was looking forward to the time at the end of the visit with him to just relax and fool around.
Thats our style.  I want to have fun iwht him and work with his areas.
No one at the farm has ever worked with him in the ring at all.  He has never been a guide horse either. He it a little bit behind as far as being easy to work on the different drills.

Wednesday Mornings with Michelle, Duke and Hershey

Cassie's first guide ride.  Breezy 70s perfect weather to be out.  I got there at 910 and got everything

2 trail rides, Footwork & reining excellent on the trails, Ring . . . Im getting better

Training

After both rides I took Duke in the ring.  We did just ok.  We only went around one time.  When I put his snacks in the pan, he's scoffed them up before I even got the gate open.  Im pretty sure Im just doing ok with the ring work.  Ill keep trying, bit by bit it should get somewhat better.

I may keep on walking him and not get on.  The wonderful thing about all this is Im getting good at getting on the big guy.  Im mounting a lot better.  Also his saddle is so tight now.  Im very excited.  We stood for a long time. He moved a lot while I was trying to mount.  Im really not sure what that is about because he is usually pretty good about mounting.  I understand that he doesn't like ring work but I thought he may change a bit.  It could have been great because whats cool is he was amazing on the trail today.  Each of the rides.  We'll keep working.  I think Im going to talk to Cassie about a lesson on Wednesday morning, before Michelle ride.  Some ring work with Duke. 

Trail Ride

Amazing ride,  At first I was annoyed because I was worried that she may be coming back to ride too soon.  But after she got there and I saw her face, I knew she was ready.  Thank goodness.  

Ride One - 

I loved the first ride.  Terry got there and when we learned that Kanti wasn't going to be there for the 9am, Terry mentioned she would be interested in a 10 instead of a 9am.  I said Id love to go at 10 so I can hug Duke more and work his feet etc.  

As we were getting ready to go, Smokey was giving Amy some trouble at the mounting ramp. Its good to see different issues with others.  

I thought if we started to move around the corner that he may start to go on the ramp with her.  Anja had to come up behind him.   

Well, we decided to go on a small ride and come back at 10 to meet with Kanti when she got there (if she got there).  It was a nice idea.  Lexie, Terry, Amy Laurie and myself went to "Bob's Trails with two bridges".  I liked it.  At Bob's Trails, when we got there Lexie says,  In this area we just roam around.  And then she flew off on Lakota.  I took a lead with Duke and he was amazing. 

Duke was perfect trotting all over the trails.  So Proud

He did exactly when I asked and roamed around the space perfectly.  I know for a fact that everyone was impressed on how I was working with him in the grassy space and he did every single more I asked and trotted int he space too.  I was so proud.

Ride Two - 

The Kanti ride was delightful.  She came and into the parking lot just as we arrived back from the ride.  She pulled up in her car.  She was reeling to go. I felt relieved, it was time.  She popped on Bogie and it wasn't long before she was out on the trails for a little ride.  I was able to talk to Terry about her son and her work.  I find her pretty interesting and I think she's busy enough with her family as I am that she enjoys her time.  Her son sounds like he may be a professional gymnastic someday, he's an acrobat.  she is also a graphic designer in her job as working to create training for engineers, this sounded very cool to me.  She said she works in Kendal Square and has to commute.  She lives in Carlilse and she also said she like Great Brook.  IT was so very pleasant.  When we both lagged behind on the Kanti ride, Foxie and Duke picked up the slack and we had some smooth trots to catch up.  It was very fun.  I Like her.

Grooming