Duke gave me my Christmas gift

Was excited to go over to meet Scotti and ride with Doc again.  ITs been going pretty well with her.  I left earlier than I usually do so I could get there with Duke and get him all tacked up.  When I was driving Scotti sent me a text that she was going to be late.  I thought no problem.  It was still pretty cold that day and I was dressed pretty well.  I went and got Duke he looked over at me as I walked up to get him.  He has settled in with Doc but doesn tlike him.  I borught them applces and Doc was under the impression that he was number one in the paddock.  He and Duke had bites and then the strange thing is Doc used his back legs to do a buck in Dukes general direction.  I really didn't like it.  I pushed Doc away and gave him some words. I kinda was mad I was so nice to him with the apple.  I have Townes some because hes a sweet boy and was watching.
I brought Duke into his stall to tack him after Kystyn left the area. I like to get the saddle rack out and put his weatern on it as I tack him in his stall. I really don't like the cross ties much.  Its funny I have no problem with Duke here alone with no one around.  As a matter of fact I love it.
Well I put in the rack and the new Kristin that is Manny's owner was there doing the chores.  Shes very nice, I like her a lot.  I started to clean up Duke.  Giving him his wormer quetely in the stall.  He really appreciated it.  I was glad to get that going and over with until the next dewormer in Feb.  I groomed him like crazy, love the way he's looking, and tacked him up. Im using the Red pad for now but I think I will use the pad that Valerie had next. 
When Scotti got there she went out to get Doc, I offered to go help if she needed it. She said she was pretty good with the gate unless its frozen then she said it was trouble. 
In no time I could hear her talking to Doc to tell him to behave.  He seems like a pretty small little horse that's nice for her too.  Shes more of a rider than she is a horse buddy.  I think that my time with Duke is less about riding andmore about taking care of his needs and keeping him healthy and happy
We warmed up in the arena and circled around a lot.  Scotti keeps a strange formation where she and doc are in the center ring and she acts like shes over him with Doc.  It feels a little bit strange.  We worked together rfor a bit but I could see that Duke and Doc don't nesscessarly like being together.  Duke did follow him during a good trotting bit.  Then we separated from them and I came through the center with Duke a lot more.  Forgot about the mounting.
Duriing the intinatial start to workingin the ring, I had some probs with Duke again.  I actually blame it on myself as he is so large that I have to almost jump to get on him from the standing mounting block.  I wish I was mounting from the ground but I thnk I weight oo much.  Anyway I was working with him and his moving back.  I finally was able to  jump on him.  I keep working him each week. Its good training, because this is a strange behavoire that needs to be fixed even if its me.  He stands for everyone else but me.  :)
Anyway Scotti sadi she hasd to leave.  The amount of walking was just ok but pretty good. I looked at how cold it was outside and how many peple there were out there. I hadn't seen a stupid truck go by in a hwile so I decided I would chance it and open the barn door, jump back on Duke and go out..
Best decisions of many weeks and months.  I think that Duke knows that hes an outside guy and wants to be outside and busy.
We started out the side where the other horses could  see Duke.  It was nice and we started by the equipment area of the field.  He fought me a bit and then he shows caution near the path at the end of the field.  Id like to go into the woods there but I know there are coyotes that were playing in the field and that they were putting in a trap for last month.  We are careful near that area.  As we ggo around the edge there is snow and duke looks into the woods ever so carefully.  I don't see much.  We then go around the bend in the field.  After the small hill he did a waak trot.  We carefully walked by the boat where Duke was kinda jumpy.  As we got to the road to cross, I asked him to move to the sharp right and go around the large field the opposite way.  He went behind the hourses and also maket th eedge of the field.  I let him have some grass for only a bit then we trotted before he went into the woods to meet over to the other feidl  He was exicted and It was amazing.  We went through the woods, cam eout at the other feidl and then off we went to field trotting.  It was amazing he was himself.  He was warmed up in the arena and also this was almost magic. I was so happy to feel the feeling again with him.  He was very happy to ge out and I could see that he could have actually cantered out in the last feidl.  I woul dhave loved to get ot that but I was so happy to just be out there along in the woods.  WE might have the more amazing winter as usual I love to ride in the winter.
THAnk you Duke for your great riding this Sudnay.