Bennington Lake

Today Lara came and picked me up about ten to seven AM. We went out and loaded Sinwaan up in her trailer and drove him out to Bob and Sue's place near Bennington Lake. They loaned her the use of their paint mare Rocker. We groomed quickly and tacked up and Bob was kind enough to show me how to work my new heart rate monitor that Lara had gotten me. Sinwaan's HR was about 44-46 at rest if I remember right. We rode from their house up to Bennington Lake and then around the lake mostly and then doubled back and took a different trail back around. We rode for a solid 2 hours and had a great time. We did a fair amount of trotting and had a nice canter twice. Rocker, being the mare that she is, preferred to be in front and set the pace which Sinwaan had no problem with. I don't recall how high up his HR went but it was around 120. I forgot to look at it when we were cantering and there was not much hill work today, mostly easy flats and little knolls. I heard his shoes clipping a few times at the trot which concerned me but I will have Matt check them again on the 20th when he is out. They still look ok. When we were done I hosed him off and he eagerly started snatching grass and clover. I was glad to see his appetite up away from home. Rocker at the start of the ride was grabbing at high grass along the trail and he copied her and was snacking anytime we were walking along. I am considering looking into a sidepull bridle now or hackamore, something he could eat with without the bit in the way. We passed very close to a deer on the way home and that was neat. I must say this horse sure builds my confidence, never giving more than I ask and always willing and easy to control. I am so thankful and honored to call him my own. (hugs Kimba!) We had a great ride and it was nice to be able to ride with Lara again. :) She always pushes me to try new things and I need that! We trailered him back to the farm and I gave him some grain and put on his flyspray and flymask and turned him out to graze.
Then we brought in Ollokot and trimmed his bridlepath with clippers and that didn't phase him at all. Lara did some roundpen work with him and he gave her a little attitude but she got him listening pretty well and ended on a good note. We flysprayed him as well and put him back out and I was home by noon.