Ridin' the boys

Yesterday we rode- Shayla came over and rode Rio and I rode Beamer, poor Josie got left by herself in her shelter. She calls a bit, but doesn't get worked up- good Josie!

Beamer is getting arthritis in one knee, so I take it easy on him. I have him on supplements Omega Alpha's Sinew X and some extra MSM. I let him pick the footing when we ride, he chooses the soft shoulder of the road, I guess it's less jarring on his knee, and he walks fine on the softer ground. I'm facing the fact that his riding days are winding down, it's limited riding for him from here on.
He loves getting out though, and his walk is so fast that Rio has to trot to keep up! Considering that Rio is a full hand taller than his sire, it's pretty funny. Also, Beamer's fast trot is a lope for Rio. Small but mighty!

Rio is really starting to look like an adult horse now. His chest and hindquarters are filling out.

He has a natural head carriage that is slightly behind the bit- I guess it works for him.

I let Shayla take some pics of me on Beamer.... love his little ears in this shot!

We had moved off the road onto a field, and next thing we know, a guy in a pickup came driving up, and stopped and got out... oh oh, trouble!

Sure enough, it was the land owner, who requested us not to ride on his field, which we politely agreed to. With profuse apologies! But dang- it sure was nice riding ground!
Back onto the side of the road we went!

At the end of the ride, Shayla worked Rio on his spins. He did well on softness during the ride:

Don't they make a pretty picture together?

His spins are coming, he is learning that he can't just opt out of them. **grin**

Rio turns 3 next Thursday, and they are in the Jim Anderson clinic that day- then it's off to California for Shayla, so Rio will have to put up with me for the summer.