Such Happy Trails!!!

Last night I got out to the barn right after work & the sun was still high in the sky, so I knew I had plenty of daylight! I brushed & spoiled the big guy & tacked up to get on our way.

Back in the days of having Doobie at this farm, the second we left the property he would get all jazzed up and start prancing around like a moron & it took every ounce of my energy just to keep him calm enough until we reached turf & then just left him run as long as he could (which typically was a really long time). However, Jimmy is the polar opposite - in all the best ways.

The second I open the gate, he realizes that we're gunna go for a ride, and he just has that happy, Jimmy look on his face. He's a perfect gentleman walking across the road, and down the street until we get to the trail. When we got to the trail he waits for me to ask him to do anything other than walk, which then he gratefully perks up into a nice trot. He just trots down the trail like the happiest dude you've ever seen :)

Last night our deer friends joined us again, and he's so good about it when they are leaping all around us!!! No matter how fast we're going, he slowly graces his way down to a halt, plants his feet, and just looks at them, ears perked and intrigued. He never spins, or spooks, or jolts. He just calmly stands there, and it seems like he counts to ten, assesses the situation, then calmly goes back up into a walk & waits for me to ask for more. He is seriously the most incredible, wonderful, amazing animal I've ever known. He's just so sincere about everything!!! He's always trying so hard to please!!

So once the deer were all gone & we looped around the whole trail once, we hacked in the neighbor's GIANT field/yard & Jimmy LOVED it. He hacked really nicely, and felt great. I let him trot & canter as long as he wanted, and when he was done he just kind of pootered out down to a walk & walked himself home :-) He's the best. Lead changes were all there, he was sound as a dollar bill, and although he DESPERATELY wanted to buck (baby crow-hops = jimmy trying to buck...it's comical, if anything) he got that out of his system after a few minutes and was a dream. I can't wait to get him back into shape and start jumping again!!! This year we are planning to go to the Maui Jim Horse Trials and compete in the Novice Division!!!!!! I can't wait. It will be SO fun. It sounds perfect. I've ALWAYS wanted to do an eventing derby, now is our chance :D Time to start schooling!

Here's a pic of us on our ride last night. Happy trails!!!!