Sometimes I'm Bad

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous, of course. Today I went pony riding with Aunty L and Pretty and Tillydog, who is tiny but awesome. She totally keeps up with us ponies, and even goes on long rides. This is Tillydog:

Adventure dog

We did pony riding with Aunty L last week too, and I got super confused cos for her having two ponies. That was a nice easy ride, cos for some spots being slippery, and everyone wanting to do relaxing. I was quite excellently behaved, only having an occasional sticky spot. Today I had a REALLY BIG sticky spot. I had been doing so awesome, I went up the rockface, and did some big trottings, and power walked up a big hill, and was being nice to Prettypony and Tillydog. 

Sharing my hayfoods politely

Then we got to turn on Brandon Gulch trail, and I asked if Prettypony would go first. This made Cyd and Aunty L decide that I had to go first cos for being trained to be a good pony. I was a bit stuck, but we did some of my things for unsticking, and I was brave going around a fallen tree, and marched in the front like a fearless leader pony. Then it was time for trottings practice, and I decided I absolutely totally possibly could not go even a tiny little bit. Cyd did some of my things, and I just planted myself, so she hopped off and ran and made me do trottings that way. She got back on, we trotted a couple strides and I said nopenopenope so off she got again and I had to go fast, and then again a third time of getting off. Cyd was getting pretty bothered by me, and the fact she wasn't wearing her right shoes for running, and had lots and lots of clothes on so was now super hot and sweaty and I was being a bratface. Finally we got me going after some big discussions, and everyone got to breathe for a while. I did pretty good for most of the rest of the ride, only getting momentarily backwards thinking, and very quickly figured out I should just do forwards like Cyd said. Phew! I also did good at letting Prettypony trot away from me faster than I could go, and I even walked on a loosey rein while she did trotting like a good pony. I did some tricky trail too, remember my rock face that is hard for me but now I'm getting good at it?  Today I went up and down it. Down is hard but I totally used  my Big Boy Brain, and carefully figured where to put my feeties so we didn't fall down. I can be grown up when it counts!

When we got back, Cyd took off my saddle and checked my back again. No soreness. This is a good sign. We still need to do a longer ride (we did 12 today, pretty good) to see how it really is for me. Cyd ordered a new kind of pad cos for us not having one that fits, then we can do a super good test, but we think we like it for me. We're also going to be calling a lady who does pony acupuncture here, cos for there being a couple of things Cyd thinks it will help me with. I practiced my trotting out again. I did it super good, two times cos for Cyd dropping her phone the first time and we had to do another to go back to fetch it. I looked perky, and only one time I got a little bit ahead but my rope got swung and I backed off. Such a good day for us today! Thanks for taking us Aunty L, and for being patient with me when I do my bad behavings.

Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Fish?

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. Though it turns out I have been LIED TO! By Cyd, and Uncle J, and Aunty V, and basically anyone who ever told me monsters don't exist. We'll get to that later. 

Umm, why are my ears tied up?

This morning, Cyd came to see me, and did a big sigh cos for me being all wet standing in the rain earlier, instead of keeping dry in my shed. She put my snazzy cooler on me, then got my trial saddle out, and my pink pad, and my bridle, and her helmet. Soon Aunty D arrived with Ticopony's trailer, and he was in it. I got spooked by a neighbour and pulled back and ran around with my tail in the sky, but calmed down as soon as Cyd caught my rope. I hopped on the pony trailer even though there was a puddle right by my entrance step. I was very securely totally latched inside with no open doors, and we set off for Jackson State Forest, one of our favourite pony riding places. When we got there, Aunty E and Waylonpony were already there ready to ride with us, along with Gunnar the dog.

Gunnardog

Sighdog came with us too.

Cyd asked Aunty D to look at my back cos for it being tense, and she doesn't think it's saddle related, but learning to use my body right related. I wasn't painful, just a bit anticipatory. I got some warming up, then we got our saddles on and were ready to go.

L - Waylonpony   R - Ticopony

We did an explory route today, that Cyd thought she maybe kinda knew, and it totally worked (though there was a long bit in the middle of not really knowing where we were and guessing by logic which turns to take, ssshh). Yippee for new loopys. I was in the front for our first trottings, then Ticopony overtook me, then Waylonpony overtook us both. They had a little race for seeing who was the leader and I wanted to race too, but Cyd said Nonono Bugsy, stay here out of the way. I pouted but just did trotting, and even got loose reins for being good. This was my good behavings of the day, whenever there was dramas in front of me, I just stayed out of it and only needed occasional reminders to listen to Cyd instead of copying my friends. Well done Me!

I had a little bridle malfunction...

There were some really big hills on this pony ride. Once we are all fit and strong it will be excellent training for our enduring rides to do trottings up, but we were huffing and puffing just walking today. There were some really slick spots and we all did some sliding, but no pony fell all the way down which is good! I, of course, wasn't perfect. At one point when I was the leader pony, I got myself all jazzed up for no reason, which was getting Tico excited, which made me bounce some more. It wasn't my worst bouncing, but with all the slipperies and other excitable ponies all trying to be good, we just decided to do stopping for a while. This helped my brain get back between my ears where it apparently belongs, and we didn't escalate to crazy pony status.

The biggest adventures of this pony ride happened in the last mile though. I was striding out in front being a fearless leader pony, when I heard a big noise. I spun around to face my friends and they were nervous too. We went to keep going down the trail, when 'whoooooshsmash' went the tree branch. I spun around again and tried to flee, and my friends were scared too. This is called widow maker, and lucky we were far enough away that we were safe, but only by ten strides or so. It didn't hit the road, but imagine how more scared I would have been if it was next to me. I didn't want to go down the road in front anymore, so Tico took over with Waylon nearby for protections. I kept looking for monsters and Cyd was laughing at me, until I TOTALLY SAVED HER LIFE! 

All my friends

Remember how I used to be totally scared of going in the water cos for there being sharks? Turns out, I was right all along. We were on the road above the creek, and something started splashysplashing down below and behind us. I nearly jumped out my skin, and was ready to flee again. You know... to save Cyd... honest... The peoples all laughed at me, and told me it was just something called salmonfish that got a bit stuck in the shallow bit of creek and had to jump around to get itself free. But I know the truth. It was a shark, and without me and my swift action we would have died. I just know it! And you know what, Cyd? Singing "Who's afraid of the big bad fish" is just mean mean mean. You are a bad pony owner and I saved your life anyways! You all lied to me about monsters.

Very grey damp day, with some drizzlies

No more eventufulness after this at least. I did really good at practicing my enduring-style trot out. My back wasn't sore after our adventure. I decided I was starving, and Cyd forgot to bring my haybagsnacks (see, BAD pony owner!). S'ok though, I just stole some of Tico's.

Thanks for taking us riding, we do have good adventures, even if they are a bit rambunctious.

Saddle Testing Again! & A Close Call

Hello everybodies! How are you? I am fabulous, except for one problem. I am hunting for the perfect saddle for me. This is my current experiment that we are trialing:

Excuse my pink pad, it isn't permanent

This is a Podium, the Champion XT kind. I'm pretty sure I'm a champion, and it's my perfect colour, so it should be perfect for me right? Maybe XT is for Extra Tall like I seem to be getting? (It's entirely possible that Cyd is shrinking...) We have done two rides in it so far, a short ambly kind, and a bit more zoomy 9.5 miles with big hills.

The first ambly ride, we used a big black pad called Matrix from Aunt-E. The pad is a bit too big for me:

More like a blanket

Sorry for ditching you

It wasn't much of a test for me, but enough for Cyd to like it enough to ride longer in it. I mostly did patiently waiting for the cutting of trees on this ride. One bit Cyd tied me to a tree, but I freed myself like I like to do, and I started to leave. Cyd was in the middle of trying to toss a branch twice her size into the bushes out the way, which spooked me into going the other direction. I barged through the rest of the trees waiting to be cut, and took myself down the trail. Cyd is so lazy she didn't even chase me. Turns out I was heading the long way home, and there was at least one tree down about half a mile away that would almost certainly be big enough to stop me, so she wasn't too worried about me being gone for long. Pretty quickly I realised I was alone and came back to find Cyd finishing clearing the trail while she waited for me. Do you like my "Sorry I left you in the woods" face? I was quite sproingy this day, but mostly well behaved.

Today newer Aunt-E, who is Waylonpony's person, came to collect me and Cyd to go teach them a new loopy in Jackson State Forest. I had been hiding in my shed all morning cos for it being rainy, which is good cos it meant I was dry to get my trial saddle on. We brushed off my fur and got my saddle on me, and then the rain came back so we ran to my shed, and hid in there watching through one of the holes in the wall to see when the pony trailer arrived. We got me loaded up with no problems, Cyd closed the door, the peoples got in the truck, and we were on our way. It's a short way down my road, past my friend's house, and onto highway 1 to go to our trails. You know what is super really lucky? Aunt-T was in the yard at my friends' house, and she spotted something really important. Her and Aunty V did yelling and running and waving, and lucky we spotted them and pulled over on the side of the road. Aunt-E and Cyd jumped out for all the commotions and you know what they found? THE PONY TRAILER DOOR WAS OPEN!! So many bad things could have happened. My ranch peoples did their yelling and jumping, and another ranch person was even jumping in their truck to chase us down to make us ponies safe. THANK YOU FOR SAVING US! Now Cyd will thoroughly check and be paranoid over doors forever. I was a bit confused as to why we stopped so soon and why I could see out the back. It's lucky I was tied in (a rare occurrence for me), and that we were driving down hill which kept the door mostly closed kinda. Heart attacks all around, but me and Waylonpony are safe! Our day can just get better from here.

A bit high necked, and saddle a bit forward

I was feeling a bit stubborn for some bits of our pony ride today, not wanting to stand by the fence for mounting, not wanting to go around the gate, or on this particular trail. I'm a pain in the butt sometimes. Other times I was really good, and I was actually mostly nice to Waylon, even when he got really close to me, and even when I did emergency stop (shark infested puddle) and he crashed right into my butt. We did some good trottings practice, and good canterings, I did right side kind and left side kind. I even went next to Waylon, and in front, and behind, and a little bit of passing. Go me for forgetting to be mean most of the time. It was quite rainy for the first bit of our ride, but we were under trees a lot, and it wasn't freezing cold. Cyd got to test her new waterproofs in actual rain, and stayed dry - yippee. I looked bedraggled, but it turns out I'm waterproof under my fur.

Eww I'm wet

I moved out really good in my trial saddle, and Cyd was hoping for a sweat pattern to check. Troubles is I was all dry under there. Tonight she's going to wash my pad so we can look for a dirt pattern instead. My back felt pretty good, but when Cyd came to give me my hay tonight she touched me and I was a bit sensitive and tensed up on one side. She touched me again and I was fine, so maybe it was just me being sensitive (I do do that sometimes) or maybe I was a bit sore? More careful testing required.

 On the way home I was being a leaderpony, I wanted to walk in the front and do my big walk, leaving Waylon behind, but then I would get scared of something and have to wait for him to go first. That way, he can be eaten to distract the monters while I flee. Thanks, buddy, 'preciate it!

When we got back to the pony trailer, you know what we remembered to do? Have me do a polite trot out like I was at an enduring ride. I did it super awesome, then Cyd thought she saw me take an off step, so I did it again. I must have stepped on a stone cos I was just fine, but I was a little more sassy on the trot back the second time. We went home uneventfully, and Aunt-E double checked the doors at the top of the dirt road before going back on the highway, just in cases. Thanks for taking us pony riding Aunt-E and Waylonpony, and thanks for being patient when I was being a bit of a brat.

This is my grumpy face, I ran out of goodness on the way home

Forest Riding

Sharing is caring!

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. Today, I went pony riding with Aunt-T and Hueypony and... you'll never guess... Aunty V and Leopony. They are usually sooo busy but there was a little gap where everybody had free time so off us ponies went in the trailer down to one of our favourite places. I was being a bit bad when Cyd was getting me ready, doing my dancing, and trying to help her put on my go-faster booties. Finally I was ready, and Cyd hopped on. I was so raring to go that I was very distressed at Cyd trying to reach her big red cup of coffee on the hood of the truck to carry down to where my friends live. I started doing jumping in the road and in the end she did a big sigh and walked me down on foot (so we didn't spill the coffee obviously). 

Once I was at my friends' house I did even more dancing, and lots of posing. I posed tied to the pony trailer, I posed trying to get in the pony trailer, I posed once I was inside. When we got to our parking place, I posed on the outside too. Hueypony was kind enough to share his hayfoods with me, thank you Hueypony. 

All the peoples got their helmets, and got super bundled up in their warm clothes, and off we went up the trail. I did a lot of being a leader pony today. I did get stuck at one point and Cyd had to hop off and make me do my things for unsticking. Thanks Aunty V and Aunt-T for patiently letting me figure my stuff out. This is why Cyd should have discussed with me the other day instead of letting me win by letting our friend go in front. It didn't take me long to get smart again though. I even went in the creek first by myself like a good pony, and had a little drink even though it was super cold and I wasn't working hard cos for the ground being slick.

We stopped by the watertankbathtubthing for some drinking and the people to do peeing and photoing. Look at the giant mushrooms we found:

My hoofy for perspective

Cyd had to do peeing so she very securely tied me to a tree. This is why having a good tying pony is good, she can put me just about anywhere and as long as I think I'm tied it's okay. Today's tie-spot? A twiggy branch coming off a fallen branch on the ground, nothing that would actually hold me if I decided to leave. 

It was so cold my breath made smokes!

I was also being polite enough today that I was trusted to be good so that Cyd could hold Hueypony's reins for a minute. I did good, except for wanting to hold Hueypony too, but I didn't chew on his reins so it's okay.

Guide pony in training!

My biggest achievement today though? I went up the rock trail. I have never done this before, and Cyd forgot when we were here last week. She tried to make me go up, with the plan of Waylonpony coming next, except for me not liking it and trying to go backwards and I nearly made me and Cyd fall off the edge and crash into rocks. We did enough of going forwards to make it still a god learning time, but then we turned around and took the roundabout trail like I usually do. Today, Hueypony went in front, Leopony went next, and I went in the back in case I did my backing up again, so just us fell down, not taking anybody with us. I had no problems though. Just like Cyd thought, I just needed some confidence and guidance. Aunty V did videoing with her helmet camera of how awesome I did. We don't know how to put my movie here, but you can see it by clicking here. Thanks for movie-ing me, and taking me pony riding! We had so much fun!

I Feel Gooood!

Sooo relaxed

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous, particularly today. Today I am super relaxed and sleepy and feeling good in my body. Know why? Aunty D from Horses At Liberty came and did pony sports massage on my little body. I love my massages! Cyd forgot to take my 'before' pictures, but she did take lots of pictures of me chilling out and enjoying myself and doing releasing. I did have some sore spots, so it was really good for me. (Ssh, don't tell anybody how bad I was on the lunge doing my pre-massage warm up...)

Giving Aunty D thank you kisses

I've been doing some pony riding too, with our new friends E and Waylonpony. We went exploring but Cyd couldn't find the route. They are very trusting of Cyd and she took us into the woods on what looked like a trail but totally wasn't! Oopsies. On the way there were some people doing shooting. They were a really really long way away from us so we were totally safe, but it was kinda loud cos for there being no hillside in between the shooting place and I decided it would be safest to stay on High Alert for protection. I also decided that it was an excellent excuse to do misbehavings, and did not really behave appropriately for a while. (Cyd also did not behave appropriately and have a Discussion with me, which we are aware means she will have to work harder our next few rides. She is a lazy Bugsy trainer!) Thanks for taking us riding Aunty E, we love our early morning adventures!

Cyd forgot to take riding pictures, but here's our sunrise!

Day After Day After Day

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous, but a bit tired, especially in my brain. I just did three pony rides in three days. That's quite a lot for me, but none of them were really hard. On day number Monday I went on my trails, just me and Cyd. She couldn't find her saw, so we hoped the storm didn't make too many branches do falling. We were going to pick our loopy depending on my brain, but then the woods decided for us. There was a tree down that even if Cyd had her saw we couldn't get through without it taking ages and ages. She hopped off and tried to find a way to lead me around, but there were rotten logs that I could get hurted on, so we turned around. Also we were nervous cos for it being so close to the hornet tree where I got lost in the woods on my own. So we turned back, but that was going to be a super short pony ride.

Lots of people said we should jump it, but I don't have the skills...

Instead of taking my trail home, we took one that we think dead ends. I was excited to explore, so trotted off. It turns out that it might not be a dead end after all. We're going to go out with a friend and explore one day, but it needs clearing a bit. We headed for home, but then instead Cyd made me go past my turn and head down the hill. We've explored this way before, and might be able to get a really big loopy, but it goes super close to someone's house and we don't want to be shooted at. The house is on the other side of the creek though, and so we just went down down the hill, so we could do trottings practice and canter back up. It was lots of fun, then we actually went home.

Early start

The next morning, Cyd came to get me really early. She gave me a little extra breakfasts, and was brushing me really fast. A pony trailer I never saw before pulled up outside. I got my saddle and Cyd's helmet and met a new friend, E and her pony called Waylon. I hopped right in the trailer (I'm really good at this now!) and started making friends. We went to Jackson State Forest to show our new friends the trails there. I was a bit bad at not letting Cyd get on me (did we mention how I STILL keep growing?!) and she was not her most springy, but somehow she ended up in my saddle and we were off.

Me and Waylonpony both did some snorting and lots of looking and the peoples laughed at us. Apparently we should be brave having a friend, but nope, not us! Mostly I was well behaved, having a few sticky moments. I didn't get too grumpy at Waylonpony, but I did bump him sometimes (with my butt, not my hoofies, but still unacceptable and got me growled at). At one time I was so busy making grumpy faces at him I forgot to watch my feeties and tripped over. I also got a bit full of myself when we were zooming up a fun skid trail, and ended up scooting over a big mound on my knees. Don't worry though, I'm totally okay. Thanks for taking us riding, we can't wait for our next adventure!

Me and my bestie

I'm not very good at Hide-n-Seek

This morning, guess who came pony riding? My bestie and Aunt-T. We haven't been pony riding with them much cos for them being so busy doing trail guiding, but now it's slow season they can come play again. We did a few kind of games today, and I'm not really sure I liked them. The first one was "Pass Me, Pass You". I was in the lead, then Hueypony trotted past me. Then I trotted past him. Then he trotted past me. Then I trotted past him. You get the idea. Hueypony was practicing being a good pony, I was practicing being a polite pony. Apparently it is not acceptable to threaten ponies that are trotting by. I learned quite fast, and I didn't do any butt swinging today, but I did make some grumpy faces. The next game was for me and Huey to both practice our being patient skills. Whoever was doing the overtaking kept going all the way around the corner until they were out of sight. The pony being passed had to stay walking politely, not bouncing, or rein snatching, or bucking. This one was a bit harder for both of us, but we both did really good.

My last one that I did, I stayed on a loose rein, and was alert but waited for Cyd to tell me if I could catch up or not. This is very good compared to my first one where I did so much bouncing that Cyd had to make me stand still four times just to be calm enough to walk around the corner. I'm a silly pony, but I'm learning.  I was super god when Cyd had to clear a branch (that she should have cleared weeks ago but is lazy and keeps getting bruised cos for it being so bad!) She didn't tie me up, I just hung out and waited patiently until she was done clearing. Don't worry, I was sandwiched with Cyd in front, and Aunt-T behind, so if I decided to try to leave someone would catch me, but I was happy to wait. The last game was definitely not one I like. Hueypony was involved, but he didn't have to practice like me. You know what he did? He touched me with his nose. Aunt-T let him, and even encouraged him, to keep touching me when we were standing and when we were walking. I had to practice sucking it up and being a grown up pony. Cyd says part of being a grown up is pretending to like people that we don't really. Neither of us are very good at it, but Cyd doesn't try to kick them. Troubles is, I like my friends. I whinny at them when I see their pony trailers, and when we're just hanging out at the trailer or drinking at the creek, I'm totally friendly. You know what else? Aunt-T touched me, and I wasn't allowed to make faces at her either. It was an exhausting game, but it is to make me better at behaving with my new friends so they still want to pony ride with me. Ticopony and Waylonpony are both also going to do enduring practice, so if I'm nice to them I can practice too, instead of us being on our own all the time. Cyd says I'm a pretty cool pony, but not a great conversationalist. Thanks for helping me learn Aunt-T and Hueypony, and good job Hue at getting better at your skills too!

Pony Selfie Time

Hands Free

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. I have done two pony rides this week, both my short loopy. On my Wednesday pony ride I did something very foolish. I didn't know we were doing our short loopy, and decided to tell Cyd we were doing short so started doing speed shuffling towards the short trail. Troubles is, my legs got a bit tangled in themselves, and the ground was a bit slippy, and BOOM! down I went on the trail. I crashed my nose into the dirt, and then my knees, and we slid on the ground a bit. I did scrabbling, and Cyd gave me long reins so I could balance good, and she sat really still so as to not mess with me. I made it up to my feet, and was so pleased with myself that I went to bounce around, except I wasn't as straightened out as I thought I was and down I went again. I got up a bit faster this time, and Cyd wanted to jump off and check my poor face and knees, but I fell due to my bad behavings, so now we had to go up the trail I didn't want to go on. I was walking okay so a few more strides for my brain wasn't going to hurt me. I was a bit sulky but I went the way I didn't want to. After I stopped arguing with Cyd, she hopped off to check me. Luckily since it was soft ground I was totally fine, but quite muddy. We brushed the dirt off me, checked for cuts, then she hopped back up and turned me back the way to the trail we wanted to take. The rest of our ride was uneventful.

Today was more of a big deal! Cyd came and woke me up (it wasn't early but I was lazing around) I got my (borrowed) saddle, and Cyd's helmet, and... my liberty ring. Cyd hopped on me in my field, and we walked up the road to my trail. We had a bit of an incident with a dummy driving a box truck for a local business. Cyd is getting pretty mad at them, they don't listen and don't care that I have the right to be there too, and they couldn't wait 20 seconds for us to reach the next drive way to get off the road for safeties. Lucky I don't get too easily scared and just held my breath! 

Once we got to my trail, Cyd clipped my reins to the carabiner that lives on my saddle to hold my tailing rope, and picked up my neck loop. That was for my steering and my brakes, really it's just a slight addition to her seat and legs cues. I did really good, only needing a little bit of guidance. There's a spot on my trail where I try to go left, and today Cyd wants to go right. Sometimes we have quite a discussion about this, I *always* want to go left, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. Well, we had a little chat about it, and I gave in and we went right. Cyd didn't have to pick up my reins once, it was all with my liberty ring and her seat. We went just a bit further, and Cyd decided to maybe be a little foolish. She reached down to my face, and I thought she was giving me a cookie, but you know what she did? Unclipped my rein! Then she reached the other side and unclipped that one too. I usually do my pony riding on a long rein, but this was total freedom.

You know what I did? Nothing! I was really good, did my walking and a little bit of trottings practice, did my steering, even in the tricky bits around the low branches. Cyd was so pleased with me. We tried to do a little bit of canter but I don't like to do canter in this saddle. I didn't have my reins attached all the way until we got back to the road. Cyd put them on then for safeties, but only picked them up when there were cars around me. See how grown up I'm getting? After some (lots!) more practice, we're going to try doing it with nothing on my head. I only crashed one time, and it was a little crash into a sideways branch that we've crashed into even with my bridle, so we decided it doesn't count! Look we took movies to prove it!

Try Again

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous, but a little bit full of myself. But first we have some not so fabulous news. My super comfy cloud saddle doesn't fit me so good. We can play with pads, since we know the one I've been wearing isn't very good. We only changed my pad set up recently, and thought we had fixed whatever was making me owie. Now my winter fur is growing in, some white hairs came through too. My hairs are supposed to be brown, so white hairs mean there's troubles. Troubles is, are they growing from my new setup, or my old one? We think my old one cos for them growing pretty fast after changing and only when my winter fur grew. But last week Cyd and I went for a zoomy conditioning ride, nine miles of mostly doing trottings and some canter practice (right side kind as well as my preferred left side kind), and one zoomy gallop cos for me learning to be fast. On the way home I was a bit picky about doing downhills, but mostly I was moving good the whole pony ride, lifted through my back, using my butt, and striding out well. Once we took off my saddle though... uhoh. My hairs were all scuffed up, there was a big dry spot, and while I wasn't ouchy then, I wasn't delighted to have Cyd poke me the next day.

Inappropriate scuffings

Hmmm. Back to the drawing board we go. Aunt-E and Cyd both wanted to try a new kind of saddle, so they went halfsies on one that will be here soon, so they can both do pony riding in it. If one of them wants to keep it, then they can pay the other one halfsies again. Good deal. Though it's red, gross. Uncle J can fix that if Cyd is the one to keep it though. We'll take red if it fits me good!

Big dry spot

In the meantime, we still want to do pony riding. Aunt-E is sending down a saddle called Free'N'Easy for me to borrow. Cyd doesn't like this kind very much, they make her sore, but you can adjust them to fit different ponies, and it's just for temporaries. In the meantime meantime, we still want to do pony riding, so Aunty D lent us her old pony's endurance saddle. Look at me all dressed up kinda like a western pony:

Cyd's hips do not love the wider twist, so it would not be good long term, and it's not perfect on me for if I was going 50 miles, but it doesn't hurt me either so we can do some practicing on our training rides. Thanks Aunty D and Aunt-E, we are grateful to do borrowing!

On Sunday we did pony riding with Aunty-D and Ticopony, and new friends A and Mesapony, and C and Rickypony. We went in Tico's pony trailer to A's house to get our saddles on, and started our ride there. Cyd has done some people running there, but not done pony riding there except for one time years ago when my Fuega friend was still a foolish baby pony learning how to do trails properly. I played in the puddles, but needed some encouragement to get started. I didn't even one time lift my leg at Sighdog even when she was behind me or did scooting past on the single track or jumped out the bushes, but I still made faces at her. I also didn't like when I was the lead pony but she was still overall leader. Cyd told me to suck it up. We started with Ticopony being the leader, cos for me thinking the rocks might eat me, but then I went in the lead. We went on some really narrow twisty turny trail, that our new friends had to check with Cyd to see if I was grown up enough. Cyd told them if I wasn't smart enough then it was time for me to learn how to be. I did super awesome, bending off Cyd's leg so we don't bump her knees into the trees, not being all spookylookey, and wanting to do trotting even though it was a walking pony ride due to some rider delicacy post-Halloween. I only politely asked though, and didn't get grumpy when Cyd said no. That doesn't mean I didn't have some tantrums. I had no interest in being friends with Rickypony, who loves everyone, or Mesapony. Any time anyone got in my (giant) personal space bubble I had a little strop, and Cyd told me off and everybody laughed at me for being a brat. I also wanted to be leaderpony all the time (Cyd is both happy and sad by this...)

Singletrack Leaderpony

I wasn't doing bad behavings if I wasn't the leader pony, but I did grumpy ear waggling, and if there was space like on the logging road, I totally walked fast and snuck past everyone when they weren't paying attentions. At one point Ticopony was being a little bit naughty, so I thought I could be a little bit naughty, so instead of walking down the trail I did bouncing. More laughing at Bugsy. Then when we were nearly home, Sighdog ran off to go play with a new friend who was also out walking, so we all stopped while Aunty D trotted away to fetch her and I decided that was my cue to GO! I sproinged into the sky and bounced some more when Cyd made me not chase after them, so we had to do circles around the other ponies while we waited until I could walk on a loose rein again. The rest of our ride I was really good, right up until I got my saddle off and Tico and I were going to practice doing trotting out cos for us both learning to do enduring. Big fail for Bugsy! I got all excited, and spun in circles so fast Cyd didn't have time to stop me, and I got the ponies in the paddocks excited, and my brain fell out my head. I was doing super slow suspended trotting in teeny tiny circles around Cyd, and not being smart. We wanted to do our groundwork exercises but for it being really wet and slippy. Now we know that just cos I'm doing good at trotting out at home, I'm still bad in new places. More practicing to happen!

Our pony ride yesterday got cancelled (just me and Cyd) cos for only having the forest to ride in, and the wind was blowing really hard that the trees might be falling, especially with them being all wet from the day before raining. Cyd thought it might be a bad idea, and Uncle J totally agreed that he didn't want us out there. We'll go tomorrow though, and we're going to practice stopping mid pony ride to do trotting out too, for something different. I'm really getting a bit too big for my boots, all this fancy showing off to impress my friends. Luckily everyone just laughs and goes "Silly baby horse, [insert their pony's name] used to be like that too" so we are still welcome to ride with them, and lucky I really don't do anything too bad, just bounces. I'm think I'm bad though! Thanks for putting up with my antics everyone, we appreciate it!

Ambi-Canter

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am SO fabulous. Me and Cyd have been doing some quiet time to let my poorly over-dramatized leg heal, to give me some time off after our hard training, and Cyd has been doing easy short people running. Now we are both rested and ready to do training for our spring events. First we did trading with Aunty D, who does pony sports massage. She massaged me, and Cyd massaged her. I really needed my massage. Cyd does some with me, but Aunty D knows lots more about my trouble spots. I also had a slightly poorly tummy that morning, Cyd had to go searching for me in my field, and actually walk me to my tying place, and then I didn't want to do lunging. I had lots of gases in my belly, and the lunging and the pony massage made me feel better and got things in my belly moving again. Look how different I look in my before and after picture!

Before my sporty massage - scrunched up, a dip in front of my wither, leaning forward, and a round belly dip, and not my happiest self

After my sporty massage - my neck is more straight, I am longer, my front legs are standing better, my muscles are smooth, and I am happy and relaxed.

I am not very good at hiding my feelings (I don't think maybe this surprises you much), so let Aunty D know whenever she found an ouchy spot, but also let her know when it felt good again. I did lots of breathing, sighing, licking and chewing, and nuzzling cos for feeling better. When Aunty D gives a pony a massage, the pony's person gets a sheet explaining what work got done, and suggestions for them. Here is my sheet. I am symmetrical in my sore spots at least, and now we have some new stretches to do for me as well as the ones we already do.

Cyd knew some of these spots were sore, but not others. My trapezius was crazy tight

Want to get your pony a pony massage? Ask Aunty D at Horses At Liberty!

On Wednesday, Aunty D brought my Ticofriend to my house so we could ride my trails. I loved having a buddy to go with, and did walking really good up the road. I had to be a bit brave when there was a scary digger in the road, but I followed Ticopony and we got by safely. The peoples got on at my mounting tree, and off we went to do my long loopy at a leisurely pace. I was so happy to be doing pony riding, and Cyd said I felt a lot freer and taller like I was holding myself properly after my pony massage. Aunty D said I looked like I was moving really good too. I wanted to do trotting really soon, but the peoples made us wait for our brains (Tico pony rode this trail before too, but at speed, and did tree crashing a bit like me - oopsies). When we finally got to do trotting I wanted to do canter, and I got a bit mad at Ticopony being in my spaces. Who does he think he is going near my butt? Silly dressage pony thinks he's so special. Cyd says I need to suck it up and remember my manners cos for if we kick our friends they won't be my friends anymore, and I got a taptap with her riding crop that she brought especially for that purpose. I sulked a bit and settled for making faces and angry waggling of my ears the rest of our ride.

"I hates him"

Me and Tico were both really good on the whole loopy, both sometimes needing manners reminders, but remembering our proper behavings quickly. Some of my trail is getting a bit overgrowed so we had to push through, and the peoples laughed at us, me cos for picking my way through like a deerpony knowing where the trail is, and Ticopony barging like a buffaloespony just having a blast. I did still crash into a tree branch later on though - oopsies. I also made grumpy faces whenever I wasn't the lead pony. These are MY trails, Ticopony doesn't know the way, I should be in the front always. So I stomped and sulked a bit until it was trottings time again. 

On our way home, we did some trottings, and I broke into a canter. Cyd was going to make me stop and do trottings but guess what? I Was On My Right Lead! This is really really hard for me. During my sporty massage, Aunty D did a lot of work on my right shoulder, it was all locked up tight. Go back to my pictures and look at that shoulder again and see how much better it looks. Anyways, my right hand canter was super hard and a bit wobbly like when I was just learning how to do canter ever, but the people did cheering for me and I had my concentrating face on, and Cyd stayed super balanced to help me. We had to stop cos for the ground getting rocky and neither of us ponies wearing our go-faster booties (Tico has the same kind as me). We trotted a short little bit where it was softer and I tried to canter and did Right Hand Canter again! The ground was too hard for me to do lots of canter so I had to be stopped so I don't get ouchy feeties, but Cyd was so pleased with me! Now we have to carefully build my strength for doing canter on that side but not forget to practice the Left Hand Side too. I'm an ambi-canterer. We had a quiet amble back to my house to take off our saddles and practice our trot outs like for doing enduring. We both need to practice all the time cos for me not wanting to stop cos for being excited to show off, and Ticopony not wanting to go cos for not seeing the point in wasting energies. We both did good trottings out today though. We had a lot of fun on our pony ride, and I didn't do hating on Tico the whole time, sometimes I give him kisses for putting up with my nonsenses. Look how cute we are when I'm being nice: