They're big boys now

I figured that Nitro was over the separation anxiety of the first part of weaning, so today I moved him and Rio to the pasture next to the mares; it has better grass than the one they had been in.There are only 2 strands of hot wire between the boys and the mares, and while both groups approached the fence, neither attempted to push on it.

He spent the rest of the day hanging out close to Rio, head to tail to keep the remaining flies at bay.

Good boy, Nitro! You are growing up.
Rio- well, Rio got to put on his big boy britches today. This afternoon we did a few different things. Walked him over the tarp- and then, he got to wear it. Since walking over it isn't a challenge any more, we stepped it up a notch to putting it on his back, carrying it, and sliding it over his rump. Each time I did something different, I got the "Holy crap!" moment from him, followed by softness and trust. The tarp work actually went pretty easy.

He didn't mind it flapping around on his sides, or over his head- in fact, I think he thought it made a great fly sheet.

He did have a moment the first time it slid off his rump- he grabbed his tail and jumped- so of course we did that a number of times until it didn't bother him any more.
I wanted to free up his movement a little and get some nice forward work, so I slipped his halter off and sent him around the pen, working him over the poles.

At a trot, and then at a lope.

While this isn't a good photo; out of focus and not all of him in the frame, I included it because it really gives you a taste of the powerful horse he will be someday. He has such wonderful movement, it would be a shame not to send this boy to the show pen.
I know I said that I planned on doing more rope work with him today..... but- I'm allowed to change my mind! This is what we did instead:

Checking out the saddle.....

First time on his back- he didn't move a muscle while I heaved it up there- I think he figured it was a lot less scary than the tarp!
I moved him out a little with it uncinched and flapped the stirrups.... no problem, so.....

I did up the cinch, not too tight, just enough that the saddle wouldn't move if we got in a bind. Before I actually fastened the cinch, I mimicked the rope work that we did a couple of days ago, by passing the cinch under his belly, sliding the latigo through, and pulling on it enough to get him to step forward, in essence leading him from the cinch area. Since he had no problem with that, I went ahead and did it up. Then I lead him around, all along the perimeter of the pen, over the poles, both ways. No problem. So then, I asked him to move out around me  on his 12 ft. lead line, as if I were longeing him. No problem, going to the left. So, on to the right side. Then he had his holycraptheresamonsteronmybackanditsgoingtoeatme moment, complete with leap/twist/rear/buck; but it was over in about 3 seconds. I was a little concerned that he wouldn't have that moment- I would rather they did, because then, they get it- the saddle is there to stay and it can't get bucked off.  So once he figured that out, I longed him on that side, led him around a little more, and praised him mightily. Good boy, Rio! You're growing up, too.