Too busy to blog!

I really am getting that busy and things show no sign of slowing down...but I'll try to be better!

The VLC had his first ride with a new person this past week! My friend's daughter Kyra , who is 14 but at least a half a foot taller than I will ever get, took him for a spin and he was really good. He just pulled the same stuff he's been pulling on me, which is trying to veer into the middle when going clockwise. But with me on the ground growling at him, that was quickly circumvented. She loved him, of course. It was great to get to watch him go! I rode him last night and he was just not going to circle left. Just didn't want to. Wanted to slam on the brakes and rubberneck. I picked up a whip for the first time. He was VERY surprised. It worked, but I got rid of it just as fast after accomplishing what I meant to accomplish. Josie said it was the first time she'd ever seen his eyes look anything but calm. That's okay. He will learn that we can do things the easy way or the way that stings!

Honey continues to live up to her sweet name. I was really impressed with her tonight. My roomies just brought home a darling new 3 year old filly from the same breeder Honey came from. Gracie needed someone kind and friendly to go out with, so we turned her and Honey loose in the arena to play. After about an hour or two, Josie brought Gracie in and Honey was, understandably, doing the herdbound TB thing...whinnying and trotting around by herself. I caught her, tied her up and groomed her. She was a little antsy but not bad. I didn't know what the ride was going to be like with her friend gone, but I was pleasantly surprised. She stood like a statue to be mounted and just rode great! As soon as I was on her, her focus returned. What a good, good mare. She ignored Gracie screaming in the barn, horse trailers coming into the driveway, etc. We are on the one-month countdown now to be ready for the SAFE benefit show. I think we are just doing walk trot (as we have not yet cantered, ha ha) but you never know. We'll see what we can accomplish in a month!

I moved some horses around today to get Bessie and her baby into a flat enough pasture to actually work Bessie, and not just sack her out and do walk-only ground work. They were terribly excited to be down near the other horses, and ran around like wild things. I wish I'd had a decent camera, but I snapped what I could with the phone. I can't get over what a nice baby Libby is (well, she IS the VLC's daughter!) I showed everybody tonight how I can pick up all four feet, loose in the field, without a bit of drama. Since they're owned by a 12 year old, mare and baby have had a lot of visitors and are just wonderful with everybody - horseperson or not. That baby is a social butterfly who rarely gets frightened. She is going to be such a joy to train one day! In the meantime, Mom still needs to progress so Bessie's goals for the next week include wearing a saddle and ground driving.

As for the other baby version of the VLC, I visited Bullwinkle on Friday and dewormed him and watched as he got all of his four feet picked up. He is equally friendly and SO DARN BIG. The picture below is with his 16.3 hand mother. He was born May 27th -- that baby is not even two months old yet! He has been sold to a blog reader, in case you missed that update, and I am telling her I want to see the Baby VLC blog for sure!

And YES, we are going to drag the Small Spotted Gelding back out of the field and ground drive HIS furry little butt...tomorrow for sure! He is not off the hook, it's just some of the other projects are a bit more time-sensitive, like Honey and Bessie who will go to their respective homes in a month.