Goggles turns FIVE!

My what a year it's been!! 

One year ago. The phlox are blooming again right now, I guess that's his birthday flower (I always knew about birthstones but very recently found out about birth flowers)

Looking at his neck here, I can see how far we've come

Solo trail rides from the GY's

Alllllll legs

Then he moved back down to JT's

And starting learning how to hop over things

And how to line up his shoulders and butt with JT's help

Then jumping got more exciting so he needed a few training rides about being polite after fences

And he got a lesson in manners and a wonderful friend

Then we went XC and actually jumped things

JT rode him in poles and cross rails at his very first horse show

We hung out a lot and played tug of war like a dog

In January he moved to his new farm. He got two acupuncture treatments which made his neck so comfortable! 

We played at a HJ show over some more crossrails

And he also did some fancy trotting there 

Then he took on cross country SOLO

And was so GOOD! 

He's also been getting some good miles under AT

He wrapped up his last few days as a four year old with a combined test

That I would definitely label as a success

Bringing it all full circle with a solo hack through some phlox from his farm right by my house

Happy 7th Birthday!!

Today is Yoshi's 7th birthday! I'm so excited partially because I actually know his birthday. I knew my first horse's b-day since he was a registered Appaloosa, but I had no idea on Leila and Zinger. I had grand plans to bake him an oat and apple cake, but I worked all weekend and work the next four days as well, so those grand plans went by the wayside. Instead I picked out a cherry pop tart, a cinnamon bun, powdered sugar donuts, and an oatmeal cream pie for him at the gas station on my way out to the barn this morning. While he tasted all the things, he was not a fan of any of them. He tried a second bite of the pop tart, but then vetoed it. He and my friend's horse, also a 7 year old thoroughbred, spit most of the treats out on the aisle. And then tried the crumbs again multiple times... hoping they had somehow become tastier with barn aisle dirt on them? Fortunately some of the other horses in the barn were more than happy to eat the rejected treats. I had remembered to bring out carrots, so he got two of those and then a nice hand graze with my friend's horse. 

They're so cute together

He definitely does not fit this halter... such a dainty face!