Little Dale is beginning to get it. This morning his canter was to die for. He was so collected that we actually did a sort of nice 20 meter! He had tons of momentum, knew where his feet were and was so happy to be training. Little Dale, you made my day. Please keep surprising me with your awesomeness:)

Today, with the wind gusting over 35mph, my super horse Dale had his best training session yet. He was forward moving, easy to collect, and did his first auto lead change! I've trained hundreds of ex-race horses and Dale is the first who didn't spook in the wind. Then I remembered. Dale grew up in the plains of western Oklahoma where the wind never stops blowing. Today, Dale felt right at home.

I saw my first bald eagle (outside of a zoo) in the 90s hunting behind my favorite field master, Linda Brown. Linda would point them out as we rode along the kings river. Saturday, with temps in the teens, I was lucky enough to watch several bald eagles, 2 young eagles who didn't have their white and a huge majestic eagle perched high in a pine. Hunting and Eagle watching in The Ozarks = EXTREME FUN!

You walked out nicely on a loose rein. You had the most comfortable sitting trot ever. You turned on your forehand. You picked up both leads perfectly. You stayed focused and ended the work out walking quietly to the gate. Yes, my pony Rosie had a great day and that's what makes it all worth while:)

My man Louis V is a Canadian Percheron. He came to the U.S. in-utero after the Premarin facilities were closed in Canada. On mornings such as today, when the thermometer reads 18F, you can bet Louis V has used his size 6 hoof to break up his icy water tank. Thanks LV! You Canadians sure know how to handle the ice!

On Saturday the girls and I had another amazing day riding behind the Harvard Fox Hounds. Not long after departing, the pack found scent of a coyote pair and we were treated to music and a chase. During the 2.5 hour hunt we saw 3 bald eagles, a dead orange snake in the creek, and jumped many fun fences. Later at breakfast when Ellie was asked what was special about the day, she replied "watching the hound named Ellie! She did very good!"

Its a fact. All ponies like to 'take off for the barn'. I'm a survivor. My Shetland, Blondie, tried to remove me from her back many times by bolting into the barn while side swiping the door. I'm smarter now. So this morning, when Rosie tried to wheel into the barn as I was swinging my leg over, I had a flashback and quickly grabbed the reins. Keep trying Rosie, my Shetlands taught me well!

Little Dale is like most 4 year olds you know. He likes to put things in his mouth, follow you around asking "why" all the time and has an attention span of 10 minutes max. Yesterday, for 10 minutes, Dale began to learn how to stand quietly and turn on his forehand. To you and I, that seems short, but to Dale the session lasted for eternity! Doesn't he look exhausted?

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I hate to admit it, but I'm beginning to like my pony. After my first 12 years of riding Shetland ponies, I finally got my first horse and swore to never ride a pony again. Then came Rosie. I suddenly find myself training her as a sale prospect and enjoying it. She is a 13.2H pony with the attitude of a 17H TB and I love it! She is smart, forward, willing and easy to mount:) So, Rosie and I have a relationship, I hate to love her. Look at her, is that the face of an evil pony?