A Pony Cart For Red

I don't remember a summer with so many spectacular days

as we have had this year.

Seriously.  Beautiful.  Weather.

I awoke, yesterday, to a cool morning

and sped through morning chores in a long sleeve shirt.

By 9AM, my required work was done and Monday was dressed in her best blue sky!

It was the perfect day for my 2 hour journey to pick up Red's cart.

I drove through Lancaster County Amish country

enjoying the rolling hills and beautiful farms.

Lancaster County is beautiful, but has become a little too commercial for me.

Many Amish have left that area and settled near our farm instead.

But still, I enjoyed the trip... driving my truck with the windows down

(the air conditioning decided to stop working this summer).

By the time I returned home, it was time to do the afternoon chores.

So, I fed the goats and horses, refilled water buckets, cleaned up manure, and collected eggs.

When I was finished, I brought Red out of the dry lot and

cross-tied him in the barn aisle.

We played a fun game of dress-up...

me doling out the treats with each new piece of tack we tried.

First we tried the bit and the driving bridle.

He didn't mind the bit at all, and spent what time it was in his mouth playing with it with his tongue.

After about 15 minutes, I removed all of the head gear,

and tried on his harness.

He didn't flinch a bit with each new piece of harnessing added.

What a good boy.

So we took a walk with his harness on, just to get used to it.

Tomorrow we will try both the harness and the bridle together,

adding the reins.

I plan to get him used to me walking behind him with the long reins.

We will walk around the farm and through the trails in the woods until I am certain

he feels at ease with his surroundings.

This process is one of baby steps...

each step introducing something new...

always aware of the effect it has upon Red.

Based on yesterday's session, I predict he will be driving in no time.

He is my dream horse in miniature!