LOOONG WEEKEND!!!!

4 day weekend!!!!!! I love Easter, a great excuse to eat as much chocolate as you want and you get a 4 day weekend! Today is the first day of that long weekend. My husband and I went on a lovely motorbike ride this morning up around the Snowy Mountains. I love it up there and so wish we could live up there, unfortunately there is a thing called work that we need to do.

I had a lovely siesta before heading out to see Sam when we got home. Katrina, one of the girls out at the paddock has lost some confidence and I offered a while ago that she could have a ride on Sam to help gain a bit of that confidence back. She was out there this afternoon so she got to ride Sam. She was pretty nervous so I rode Sam first in the round yard with just his halter on to show that he was really that quiet. Then it was Katrina's turn. She came in walked straight up to the side of Sam, stood on the crate and put her foot in the stirrup. I asked her take her foot out of the stirrup, step down from the crate and introduce herself to Sam. Katrina looked at me strange so I explained to her that there is no need for rudeness with our horses and that they too appreciate some kindness and respect. She gave him a scratch, chatted to him and then stood on the crate again. I explained that she had to slightly move the saddle from side to side and that way Sam knows that you are about to mount and it is a way to ask him if it is ok to mount. Good ol' Sam turned around to look at her when she did it then looked back to the front licking his lips. He really is a good boy. She mounted up, Sam stood rock solid. I went through how to ask him to walk on and how to stop. All with her seat. Once she had that figured out we went through how to turn using your body. Sam was great through all of it. He stayed extremely quiet and preferred to halt than actually move. She wasn't ready to trot so we stayed at walk and of course Sam was happy with that. Maybe next time she will be ready to trot. The smile on her face was huge and that is Thank you enough.

I hoped on and we went down a lane way that we have never been down and rode in a largish paddock. He was once again great, walked, trotted and cantered on a loose rein. He even cantered up through the gate and back up to the round yard on a loose rein. I got home and told my husband if I ever talk about selling Sam to bring me back to earth and tell me that we already have the greatest horse ever!!!!!

Tomorrow I will stock up again on Easter Eggs and Sam is being used in a lesson I am giving. I am teaching my friend Kate her canter leads and which leg to rise trot to!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!