Fast riding and starting Nina

Had a great 10 mile ride with Tammy, Drew and her friend this morning. We really moved out and Z was looking to canter all the time. She could walk, but the trot always went straight to a canter. It got better after a while, it was a hot day and it got easier for her to maintain a trot speed. A couple times I just let her go full gallop and she seemed to be really enjoying herself. I know I was! It was a lot of fun.

I hosed her down afterwards and gave her a touch up trim. Her feet are looking awesome. Really proud of how they're doing. Her rear feet are better as she stays fit and drags her hinds less.

I went off for kid stuff for a while and got back in time to get a little more done. I grabbed Miss Nina, tacked her up and warmed her up on the ground. Her ground work was great! No bucking under saddle, much less toughtless extroversion, much more respectful and listening to my suggestion vs. just doing "anything". This was more of a horse I'd mount than I've ever gotten.

Once I felt like we had some good respect going on the ground, I took her to the round pen and Chrissy helped while I mounted her repeatedly from both sides. I spent more time just hanging out on her back than normal and she was calm, reaching to eat grass, looking for face scratches. She was calm and comfortable with me up there. I rubbed her all over and when I dismounted, I did it sloppily and let my leg hang all over her rump. I want to desenstize her to sloppy mounting and dismounting. She was unphased and perfectly content. She's ready to move more with a rider on her back. We took a few steps, nothing big, and she was just fine.

Next mount with her should be walking around the round pen. She's ready. I'm starting to trust her more, so I'm ready too.

I trimmed her front feet up a little in the barn, but her feet are too dry to give a good trim. I just want to keep her quarters strong. She grows wide naturally, so I want to keep the shape and not let the quarters get too long. All the horses have great frogs and good feet right now. I trimmed one of Gemini's hinds yesterday - I've got to get the other hind trimmed! LOL - I forgot until just now.

Busy day but got some really good horse time in. Back to work. Big yuck.