Fantastic to read - made my evening. Sounds like you had a great time.

Campbh is too modest to mention that Tommi had also spent the previous day being a total angel when we went schooling at a very smart but very spooky arena in the Cotswolds the day before!

Not only did he cope with the arena like a pro but put up with the weird combination of Shane giving another youngster a 'going forward' lesson, Chic making sure that Vix stayed fully alert at all times !!! and the OH practicing his 'peanut pushing' on madam!
No wonder he wants to be a duck instead of a QH!

Hi, well done with your horse - he obviously thinks you are a very trustworthy leader. I've been hacking out my rising 4 year old all last year and I know how it feels when you come back and you've done something great - my last great moment was passing one of those tractor and hedge-cutter things that make a huge noise and spit branches out everywhere. Not a problem!

Where abouts do you ride out? I'm down in Sussex but hope to travel this year to AQHA trail rides and other gatherings to enjoy more of our fantastic countryside.

Just what I would like to do too...have a ride with your best friend! My youngster is coming home tomorrow, think I will take it slow at first though and oh boy wouldnt that be nice too, if you not far away come and join me for my first trip!!!well done and many more happy hacking days.....

Angie wrote:
Just what I would like to do too...have a ride with your best friend! My youngster is coming home tomorrow, think I will take it slow at first though and oh boy wouldnt that be nice too, if you not far away come and join me for my first trip!!!well done and many more happy hacking days.....

where are you and where's your youngster been??? Have trailer...will travel

Hi All

Thanks for your comments - I'm determined to encourage my QH to be as versatile as possible!

He's back in training now and coming on very nicely, but already I feel his confidence levels outside of an arena diminishing so I know I've got my work cut out to keep him 'comfortable in all worlds'. To that end, I'm planning a few 'time-out' weekends over the coming months where he can get back out in the open and realise it's not Too Scarey!

He's going to do his first TREC competition in May and possibly a long distance non-competitive ride in August along with his various pleasure ride engagements - a bit of a change from the show pen! Angie, Calamity, you're both relatively nearby, so PM me if you have any big outriding plans; if I can arrange for my QH to be at home at a specific w/e's and there aren't show conflicts, I'd really love to ride out with other westernshoppers this summer!