All is well in the world of Ace, despite some funky looking feet and having a pretty easy summer so far. He’s happy spending long nights out to pasture, and hot days in the shaded, bug-free barn. He’s sound and healthy, and most importantly happy.
Where We’ve Been
It’s been slow riding for the last two months for several reasons. We spent half of May and most of June without a properly fitting saddle. I rode bareback maybe once a week while we waited for the new one to arrive. Then when …

Ace and I have been having a ton of fun over the last week or so, finding ways to play and train without a saddle. The obvious is continuing to ride bareback – which we do surprisingly well. Unfortunately, the temperatures in Northeast Ohio have been unseasonably hot – hovering in the upper 80’s – which makes bareback riding rather wet and unpleasant. We’ve kept the rides short, but fun.
We’ve also been doing some fun ground work – including jumping on the longe and going for trail walks.
On Monday, we …

My typically laid-back pony was all thoroughbred on Saturday, a very unusual state of affairs for him. Somewhere in his subconscious he must have known it was Kentucky Derby day and decided it was high time he act his breed.
Ace was on high alert as we rode late Saturday morning, spooking and dancing and generally feeling good. I had actually taken the time to set up three whole jumps in the arena, a small crossrail and two small verticals that were barely 18 inches. Nothing he hasn’t done  many times …

I would be totally remiss if I didn’t wish my handsome, sweet pony a very Happy Birthday. He officially turns 10 today! Doesn’t that sound old? It always seems like such a big leap to me when horses go from single digits to double digits.
I don’t do anything big for horsey birthdays, but I will of course stop out to clean out his foot (abscess is clear and healing nicely, by the way) and spoil him with a few extra cookies than normal.
I’ll also give him some birthday hugs and …

My boy Ace is doing super wonderfully these days. We have just progressed in leaps and bounds since getting access to a large arena back in November. At that point, we were happy to have forward, straightness, bending, and a little bit of ground pole work.
After three months of consistent, hard work, my handsome boy now:

walk, trot, canters
understands leads … most of the time
does amazing walk to canter transitions, and gets mad if I use more than a little bit of seat and clenching my outside calf muscle to ask …

I very much hesitate to put this in writing lest I jinx myself, but Ace has officially been sound for the longest stretch of our relationship. After the abscess of last December, the injury of April, and the infection of June, July, and August, Ace has been sound since the beginning of September! That’s four whole months in which we’ve been able to train without interruption!
Between that and access to a larger arena in which to work, we’re progressing amazingly.
A year ago, I was lucky if Ace went forward when …

Ace has had one week and one day in his new home and is doing exceptionally well. We even went on our very first trail ride last Friday!
Moving Day
Moving day dawned cold, windy, rainy, and dropping in temperature. While it was gross for loading up my jump equipment and horse, it fit the mood as we prepared to leave our former home. The new barn owner and I took her trailer to get Ace, and after visiting with my friends for a while, it was time to head out.
We didn’t …