Before summer trip

   Today is the last day before my 2 week trip to PA, so of course I was at the ranch for awhile and took tons of pics.

   Before I took my girl out I actually snapped some pics of the barrel mare out in the round pen and the 2 year old paint stud in the pasture (don't know their names).

   Next I went to see my girl and give her some love.  

   Then I let Phoenix out in the arena to play since it literally just stopped raining and I knew the cool weather probably made her feel good.  

   After Phoenix settled down and started walking to me,  I slipped on her halter and led her to the tack room so I could tie her up and groom her.  I ended up braiding her mane and forelock before I tacked her up because I had a lot of extra time today and it's been awhile since I've dressed up my girl.  

   While I was messing with Phoenix's mane, I got a visit from none other than Parker who knows that if he wines and wags his little tail I can't help but giving him some attention.  I petted the cute Dachshund for a few minutes and snapped a few pics of the adorable little guy.  

   Then I went into the tack room to grab Phoenix's tack.  I took a pic of one of my favorite headstalls (I haven't used in awhile because that is our Western pleasure or reining show bit) and look at all the space we have now thanks to Robin who cleared our tack room corner up.  

Our Western Saddle 

   I warmed up my girl by walking a few laps and then I worked on keeping a consistent pace at the trot.  After I got Phoenix to turn towards the inside and keep a nice trotting pace, I let her into a lope. We got our bad lead on the first try!  And then we worked on flying lead changes.  We started off by crossing the center and I didn't ask Phoenix to switch until the last second while we changed directions right before the fence to help encourage her to switch, but we ended up being able to get our flying lead changes in the center of the arena while crossing.  She got it in both directions and here is the attempt video.  Some of them you miss the switch, but if you pay attention to a few our first lope is on one lead and the rest are on another.

   After working around the arena for a little bit, I walked the barrel pattern a few times and then I let Phoenix trot the pattern.  She is getting very good at trotting the pattern and staying straight until we pass the line where we should turn.  And I'm working on turning with my hips and sitting down.  The first time I went to lope the pattern Phoenix bucked going into the first barrel and threw a fit, so I worked her in a loping circle around the first barrel until she was running calm.  

   Then I had Phoenix start the pattern again and made her trot before the turn and then lope the pattern.  Phoenix did very well and her turns were on point today.  She is getting a lot better at listening going into the turns and it is a lot smoother.  Here is a video I made out of one of our patterns.  The song is country in ya by chase rice.  This is the first barrel and you can kind of see the 2nd.    

   Here is another video where I tried to get the flying lead changes (that you can't really see) and some barrel work.  The video was too long to send so it was broken up into several parts.  

   When we were done with barrels, I walked Phoenix out and then tied her up and untacked her.  It was actually pretty humid out today and Phoenix sweated a lot more than usual.  

   I hosed my girl off and left her tied up till she dried off.  

   While Phoenix was drying off, I cleaned horse stalls and might of messed around a little bit haha.  

Mini

Me and Mini

Who got the bath? (btw my pants are soaked haha)

   I put Phoenix back into her stall and may have taken a few more pics of my girl.  

   I gave my girl some love, said goodbye, and took my muddy self home.  I am going away till the 23rd and it will be the longest I am away from my girl (I've only gone away for a few days before). She will be let out while I'm away and taken care of, but I'm going to miss her tons and hope she remembers all that we have been working on when I return.  

   Here are some pics of me and my dog, Max, snuggling.