Fly, Opie! Fly!

no, i don't mean take off with me, you little fucker.

Because thinking of how many more times this season I still have to ride the same god damned Training tests is starting to make me a little twitchy (three more times apiece), I gave Opie the whole week off decided to change things up a bit this weekend.

He did, in fact, end up getting the week off although it was unplanned. I didn't realize beginner horse camp was last week until I showed up at the barn Tuesday morning to feed and Children. I attempted to ride Wednesday but lasted maybe five minutes before I got off in annoyance. Because Children.

So instead Opie spent the week eating carrots and weaving at the fence because his soulmate was inside most of the time for said children and his other pasture mate doesn't count as a real horse ninety nine percent of the time.

trying to peace out to go find soulmates. the theme of sunday.

I got to the barn super late for me on Saturday with everything crossed that lessons would have cleared out by then and lucked out that everyone was driving out as I was driving in. I snagged one of the barn girls that was meandering around the ring bareback for a trail ride, grabbed Opie from the field, threw his bridle on, and headed out bareback myself.

For essentially not being ridden in a full week he was great. We did have a moment where he trotted up the last part of our hill and I clung to his mane bouncing around frantically giggling as I tried not to slide off the back of his round pony body.

I finished the ride in the ring under tack. He was a total star for it. I'm starting to work in earnest on putting a real lengthening on, so we did a ton of back and forth at all three gaits just getting him familiar with adjustability without breaking. A few really nice turns on the forehand, and then finished with some real shoulder- and haunches-in at the trot.

he is so good at the dressage stuff. just look at him.

alright, he was only a little asshole most of the time, not all of it.

On Sunday I decided we were going to jump in the front field. I didn't have a particularly solid reason for it. It was a nice day and I had originally planned on going to a hunter pace, but the thought of driving for yet another weekend when we're showing yet again this upcoming weekend just didn't excite me so I passed. Plus I still have memories of the front field being a fun place for easy jumping with Bobby. Obviously the first and last time I was out there with Angry Cobra Opie wasn't enough to deter me.

Hubby and I brought all three horses in from the field, got Opie groomed, and then took his monthly confo pic quick.

current status: adorable.

I got him tacked up in a barn mates borrowed jump saddle (because barn mates are the best) and then headed back out front where Opie immediately started screaming nonstop on the off chance BFF Apollo had poofed back into existence in the field while Opie wasn't watching.

Spoiler Alert: He hadn't.

Opie proceeded to try all sorts of evasive maneuvers to get back to the barn, none of which worked. Once Hubby made it up to the front Opie settled down and stopped making noise because he loves Hubby.

After a slightly wild w/t/c warm up, I started us off with the baby coop.

always has an eye for hubby

It involved nonstop Angry Cobra on approach and then we landed and he abruptly bucked and tried to take off to the barn. Again.

bye felecia. 

But I persevered! And got the same result some more!

locked onto his end destination: not this field.

Eventually ripping his face off sank in a little bit and we ended on that jump marginally successfully.