Meet Pepe

This is Pepe:



He is an 8y/o TB (we think) who is learning how to be something. We aren't sure what yet, but definitely something. Today Lucy was out with me and was the photographer for the day :-)

We started out with lunging and I got to see what he looks like moving - he's adorable! Just cute as can be. If I had to guess today, I'd say he'd make a perfect little fun hunter. Just beginner children's type stuff - but he's got the sweetest personality he'd just make a kid so darn happy. He's fun, too. He doesn't put up a fight, or argue with you about anything, he just tries and listens and learns. He's ideal.


Trots pretty cute, doesn't he?!? Today we worked on just basic move forward when I leg, come back when I slow my body. He's got the downward transitions down to a science. You'll see in the video I think about slowing down & he's got it - NOT because he's lazy and rude, but because he is extremely sensitive to weight. If I lean one way or the other, or just wiggle, he slows right down to a halt or walk and listens for the next cue. Can we say: My next lesson horse?! Problem is, he loves to think about bucking when he canters. He hasn't ACTUALLY bucked (yet), but he lovvvves to think about it. He gets a little light in the rear and swishy with his tail. You'll see in the video I have to keep lifting him up.

I like to work green horses from the start with very very light hands. I let them tell me their strengths and weaknesses, rather than starting very "rough & tumble, this is how we ride". I'm not that way in life, so I certainly don't believe it's right to be that way in riding. He learns quickly and listens well, I think once his topline and muscles start to fill in we might have a real riding horse :-) Meanwhile, I don't want to push his contact or anything like that, I just need him to feel what it's like again to have a passenger on board and figure out his whole body. He's very clumsy, but boy, he really, really tries. Here's that video:

OH AND LOOK WHO IT IS!!!! Little James. He was a little snotkins today. He has learned laziness in his time off and takes full advantage of the new skill at every opportunity when he SHOULD be working. He started out stiff on the line and worked out of it. Looking better, still not great. The waiting game continues.