Oh Oh Those Summer Nights...

No, this is not Roo. This is T.D. our cat, who is hot and laying near an open window in one of the pet beds we have.

It's as hot as blazes here and we have had very little rain. It is also show seaons. Show season brings with it many days of lessons and many Sundays and Tuesdays of trailering horses and kids to nearby events.

It is also the time of the annual visit of the grandkids. They are with us this week and we are enjoying them immensely!

I have been meaning to update my pics of Roo, but just have not been good about taking my camera to the barn. I always seem to forget it when I head out the door, mostly because I am usually running late from work and need to leave as quickly as possible.

So I promise that after the grandkid leave this weekend, my priority will be to get update pics of the big boy and post them. Not that my lovely cat T.D. (who is also a very nice cat) isn't a good eye filler, but I know you are all waiting to see ROO!

So what have we been doing? Well, we've started using a bit during our work sessions. I have rigged a larger bridle with a nice Myler comfort snaffle and Roo is nonplused by it. He works just like he did without the bridle and snaffle. I keep a halter under his bridle and I do not hook to the snaffle yet, but he is certainly very calm about it all. Next week we are going to add the saddle and do some work in both the saddle and the bridle. I have used the surcingle on him prior to the saddle and again, he just doesn't care about it. He'd rather try to eat it really!

We have been taking walks on the farm in the nice, cooler evenings. I use a rope halter and longer lead for this. The first time we went out it was nearly uneventful. Roo did spook a bit at a few things here and there, but ultimately he took my cues (I don't spook and don't care if he does and I give him no reaction) to mean that things were okay. We went down to the outdoor arena a few times already and worked there as well on the cooler evenings. These past several days we have not worked at all and we won't again tomorrow due to the heat and humidity. The heat index here today was 100 degrees and tomorrow it is expected to be higher. All I do on nights like these are hose him down with some nice tepid water and squeegie him off. He loves that.

Roo and I are now using Clinton Anderson's ground training and directional change methods. I wanted to do this before saddling him for ground work, as this will play a role later on when we start him getting used to me on his back. Roo has gotten lighter in his front end and more bendable from using Clinton's methods.

I have also found a very good showman to take him to a few model horse division shows. I will ask him to show Roo a bit in September, which is near the end of model horse show season here, just to get him some "at the show" experience. This gentleman is very good and does well with the horses. He has been to the barn several times and has seen Roo work and thinks he is just a phenomenal horse. I agree!

So stay tuned folks. I am hoping to be back with more good photos of the growing boy in the next week. Then I go on vacation for a week during the following week's timeframe. So I will definitely get pics posted before that!

Roo says hello to all his friends in Vermont!

Elaine