Clever Riding Pony

Yippee! I love August, it's my birthday month! I will be four in a few weeks. That means that (assuming my brain is doing okay) I can start doing some big boy stuff like going on my first ever trail ride and learning more new things. I've decided (as I can being a nearly-grown-up) that instead of being tied up, I prefer to hold my own rope. I know I'm not supposed to leave, so what difference does it make if I'm tied?

So far all my learning stuff has been in little bursts, then I take a break for a while. I went for a pony ride in my field today. It's a big space compared to the place where I practice my circles. There are ponies living right by where I do circles, and that distracts me a lot so we didn't go there. I have my very own blue saddle pad now, so today was my first day wearing all my own things, except my loaner bit. Don't I look good in all my gear?

Once I was appropriately cleaned and dressed, Cyd put me on my long circle rope for a few minutes. We practiced just using voice cues and I did really good (but we do variations on this every day so I guess it's not big deal). I don't have any pictures of our pony ride cos we had no help today, which is part of why today was so good for me - nobody for me to follow. I usually have a security person to cuddle when I get confused but not today, which also means they couldn't take my picture. Even though I haven't been ridden in a long time, I stood really still for Cyd to get on. She patted me for being a good pony, and after a minute got off, but on the wrong side from usual. Then she moved the mounting block to the other side of me and got on from the wrong side too. I looked at her funny but I guess it's nothing special, and apparently is good for us both to practice. We rode for nearly 20 minutes, which is a long time for me, usually I start cloud watching or looking for my neighbour friends and generally getting confused. I concentrated really hard, and we did walking and stopping. Then we practiced bending my head so I'm looking at Cyd's feet while I stand there. She says this is good for me too, like when I do my yoga stretches. Then we practiced going left and right. This is the first time I've been able to figure it out completely by myself. We started combining all my skills; walk, go left, stop, walk, go right, go left, go right stop, walk, stop. I have to say, I am pretty amazing at pony riding. Cyd was really pleased with me too, and gave me scratches and cuddles and... cookies!! Of course :) I also have a new toy, which I lovelovelove. I get to roll it about all over the place, and cookies come out!. I figured it out really fast, but then saw where the cookies come out and thought I had found a shortcut to just get the cookies.
I was wrong. But now I keep rolling the ball just underneath the electric fence, just barely a foot away, but too far for me to get it back. Rubbish!

Not my best side...