Plan B

The Farmers Market started back up for the season this morning.  Brett and I were there bright and early; greeting our favorite vendors and loading up our basket.  We bought some strawberries and a lot of greens.  It's too early for much besides beets (got some of those too) and greens.

We spent this afternoon and evening with friends from Southern California -- Marty and Jamie, who worked with Brett in Glendora.  We had a few hours before they were due to arrive for an afternoon of wine tasting.  Brett got busy with the weed whacker and I got busy with Pistol.  My plan was to ride her but she was a bit off on the right front.  She's been a little bit off since she was trimmed so I'm hoping it resolves as her hoof grows out.  Instead of riding her, I groomed her and washed her back legs (icky mare crud) and shampooed her mane.  She stood quietly in the wash rack -- something we weren't sure she would do.  She's not familiar with cross ties and she doesn't like tight spaces.  She was very happy to stand with her head in the aisle watching Brett sweep while I massaged shampoo into her crest.

Next, I pulled Jackson out of the oak pasture.  Flash and Winston wanted to come too but I told them to take it up with Brett -- who was busy being compulsive about having every blade of grass mowed before the arrival of his friends.

Jackson walked out sound so after grooming him, I took him into the round pen.  He trotted off sound so I threw on the bareback pad and headed for the dressage court.

Tuffy couldn't believe it.  Jackson being ridden!  Wow...

The goats were in shock as well.  We had quite the audience.

We didn't ride very long -- five or ten minutes and just at the walk.  Jackson was cautious at first, but started stepping more confidently as we went along.  He didn't particularly like the bit on Winston's trail bridle.  I'm going to have to dig around in the tack room for Jackson's old bridle.  I'm hoping to repeat today's ride again soon.

Jackson will always have a huge part of my heart.  I just love this horse.