Sarah K. Andrew: 2008- A Year in Photos
Happy New Year to all of my friends. Thank you so much for all of your comments and ideas and for making 2008 such a huge success for me.
I’ll always remember 2008 as the year I lost my beloved first horse and best friend Alibar. My heart is broken and I’m still deep into the mourning process, but I have a lifetime of wonderful memories. He lived such a happy and full life that I cannot be too selfish about losing him. I was always prepared for the terrible day, but it did not make things any easier when it came.
2008 was also a HUGE year for me as a photographer. This was the year that I:
– won Best in Show for the Equine Ideal Photo Contest
– got a photo on a wine bottle label
– was published in The Ultimate Horse Lover and The Ultimate Cat Lover as a photographer and a writer
– had a photo on the cover of the Monmouth Park 2008 racing program
– had a photo on the cover of American Quarter Horse Journal
– had a photo in the 2008 Belmont Stakes racing program
… just to mention a few!
I also met some wonderful new photo clients and travelled to some amazing events, including the Breeders’ Cup in California.
Click on any photo for more info…
Alibar and me on New Year’s Day 2008
Riding Alibar at the new barn in Feb before he hurt his leg at the end of the month
Wizard in January
Bailey in Feb
Bryan the sink cat
JR plays in the mud
Alibar on Groundhog Day 2008
Alibar after the hock injury
Alibar on St Patrick’s Day
Visionaire heads into the fog on his way to winning the Gotham in March 2008
JR being gorgeous again
Jonathan Andrew performing in Hoboken NJ
Rocket- Wheee!
Alibar’s 29th birthday in March 2008
The famous fluffy barn cat
Moose, aka Celtic Charisma
Tale of Ekati wins the Wood Memorial in April 2008
My favorite remote shot of the year
Perusal the Horse and Evil the Cat. Belmont Park
OH Justin Time, a silver grullo overo Paint stallion
Alibar gets a spa treatment
Garden State Barrel Racing
My friend Jenn and her horse Argo canter at sunset
Tiffany Foster and Robin Hood at Jersey Fresh in May 2008
Dressage at Jersey Fresh
Magik at Valley View Ranch in Georgia
Saint
John the Mule
Jake, Chip, Kat
Kel and friends
Cher and Tuxedo
Big Brown’s feet in June 2008
Casino Drive and the Anna House kids
I love a spoiler!
Third Barrel
Atlas, a playful Percheron
Kim Deal, the Queen of Cool
Rainy Saratoga morning in July 2008
Sarah and Patrick
The Runaway
You’ll get ’em next time, filly
Ginger Punch and Rafael Bejarano win the Go For Wand Stakes 2 years in a row
Half a Furlong Away
Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale in August 2008
Dancing Forever
Big Brown chases his shadow
Royal, a 31 year old Thoroughbred
Horse and Rider at Dawn
King of the Wind
Alibar in August 2008
September Spa Treatment
Horse Haven
Alibhai’s Alibar 3/28/1979 – 9/10/2008
Alone at the Wire
Charging into Battle
Wizard, my equine therapist
Gettysburg, PA in October 2008
Jonathan Andrew at Gettysburg
Gracie
Mallie
Flying Mane
Cutsie
Steeplechasing in Far Hills NJ in October 2008
Breeders’ Cup 2008
Curlin in sunny CA
I love CA
Zenyatta
Sunrise at Santa Anita
Jonathan Andrew rocking with Joshua Van Ness and friends
Hickory Ridge Farm, NJ
Homeward Maryland in November 2008
Larry Jones and Old Fashioned
Horse eyeball: a deconstructive study
Rusty the Spaniel
Santa Baby
Christmas with Slade
In memory of Wanderin Boy
In memory of Shakis
In memory of Rebel
In memory of Frodo Baggins
In memory of The Quiet Man
In memory of Tigger Too
In memory of beautiful little Gisele
In memory of Theodore O’Connor, the mightiest pony of them all
In memory of Herschel the Wonder Cat
And in memory of my first horse, the gamest and most generous horse of all, Alibhai’s Alibar
Wizard Ride 30: Moving Right Along
Monday, 12/29/08
Before the NJ cold snap, we had a few days of mild (for December) weather. My barn buddies and I took advantage of these days by riding outdoors under the lights in the arena. Although my barn has one of the nicest indoor arenas in the area, I still prefer to ride outside.
After my friend had a short and successful ride on Mary, I turned Wizard out in the arena for a free longeing session. He gets a good amount of turnout time and he plays all day long with his buddy JR but turnout in the arena gives Wizard an opportunity to stretch his legs in very even and safe footing. When I first turned him out, he took off for the far end, trotting with his tail flagged and his head up like a giraffe. He circled for a few laps, taking in the cool night air. The weather was just about to turn cold and he could feel it.
I went into the arena and asked Wizard to move out and that he did! He took off at a gallop, low to the ground, hugging the rail. His tail was still flagged and his nostrils flared as he circled, snorting and frolicking. When he hit certain spots in the ring, he took off even faster, showcasing his Thoroughbred heritage.
I then asked him to circle around me and he listened really well. He actually free longes better than any horse I’ve known, including Alibar. He trots in a true circle around me, without any longe line. He stops when asked. I don’t have a walk yet, but he trots really nicely around me without a longe line.
After he free longed for about 15 minutes, he was barely even breathing hard. He’s getting fitter! His outline is changing slightly as well. His belly looks less round and he moves with more coordination.
We did about 5 minutes of clicker training at liberty. Wizard had not done any clicker work in a few days (I try to put a lot of variety into his routine to keep things fresh) and he was really interested in working (and in carrots!). We worked on targeting. I got a Click Stick for Christmas but unfortunately, Wizard does not seem very responsive to it- I think it’s too small for Wizard to see it right in front of him, especially considering the way that horses’ eyes work.
After our clicker work, I tacked him up and we did a very brief longeing session to work on verbal cues. Wizard is getting much better at verbal commands on the longe line and can walk, trot, and trot faster at my command. Downward transitions are a little more challenging since he likes to stop and look at me when I ask him to slow down. But we’re getting there!
After longeing without side reins (about 5 minutes), I mounted up and rode for about 15 minutes. We walked and did some figure 8s. We are doing circles as well. Since I introduced the trot, Wizard’s walk has become less flat-footed. I think he’s anticipating the trot and it makes us both tense. When he’s tense, he tucks his chin to his chest and bunches up his body. This evasion is particularly effective since I lose a lot of rein! When he’s doing a relaxed walk, my hands are at the end of the laced leather part of the rein but when he bunches up, the reins are a foot shorter.
I tried the neck strap (a stirrup leather around his neck) but it’s too far up his neck to do much good. When we ask for more of a rounded topline, the neck strap might help more.
I asked for three trots: one to the right and two to the left. One of the left side trots was really good and the other two efforts were our usual awkward attempts. Wizard takes about 6 strides to get balanced and while he’s adjusting his body, I cannot keep myself from pulling in on the reins. His neck is SO MUCH higher at the trot than it is at the walk.
After we trotted, Wizard was more tense and it took a little bit of walking and circling to get him relaxed again. He’s not a bad horse, but I know that somewhere in the back of my mind I’m bracing in case he decides to buck or play at the trot. And it’s harming my equitation. We’re still on the brink of our next step forward. I feel like I used to on the high dive at my friend’s lake house. There is a moment of standing there in total denial of moving forward. Then I jump and everything is fine. I just need to jump (and hang on to the neck strap!).
Tonight, my friend is going to ride Wizard and give me a few pointers on my riding. Hopefully that will be the push that I need.
Wizard Ride 29: “I AM still a Thoroughbred, you know…”
Saturday 12/27/08
Ahhh, a little taste of spring in late December. How cruel, Mother Nature! Temps went well into the 60s in NJ this weekend. I wore flip flops and a tee shirt to work on Sunday. But I did have the luxury of riding outdoors under the lights with some of my favorite barn buddies. I’ll trade that for a few cold nights :^)
Before I rode, I helped my friend with some saddle fitting questions with her mare, Mary. They took a quick ride in my old (over 30 years old) Stubben Wotan. That saddle was given to me by my grandma when I was a little kid. I rode in it for years but I sadly outgrew it. It still fits my friend and it looked to fit decently on Mary.
I ride Wizard in a Stubben Portos. My other saddle is a Moritz dressage saddle. It fit Alibar pretty well but it looks to not be shaped right for Wizard. The Portos was a little narrow on Alibar.
I tacked Wizard up and we began our session with hand walking around the arena, followed by a short longeing session (a little less than 15 minutes). Wizard again longed like a champ- quite a far cry from the confusion from Session 17, which was less than a month ago! Wizard is continuing to take contact on the longe line and is responding really well to verbal, whip, and line cues. He’s not completely trained to verbal commands yet but his lengthened (and a bit speedier) trot when I cluck, cluck is pretty impressive!
I’m now able to walk around the arena and plant myself and Wizard does circles wherever I ask. For the first time, I longed him over a ground pole and he took it beautifully. He also longed through a big puddle like a perfect water horse.
I kicked the intensity up a notch and asked him to longe in the far corner of the arena. He slowed down considerably but maintained his trot. He began to creep toward me on the circle so I told him to move out and just tickled him with the lash of the longe whip. That was all the encouragement he needed to have what my friend Cathy calls “a Thoroughbred moment”. He leapt into a speedy canter and bowed out on the circle, pulling on my arm. I simply made the circle bigger and kept him moving. When we were back at our happy working trot, I allowed him to move away from the far corner. Although he was being silly, it felt good to me because I was in complete control the entire time and it did not feel confusing at all. I knew exactly what to do and he came right back to me.
My comment about a “Thoroughbred moment” is playfully said. I’ve known people who owned every breed under the sun and there are similar jokes about them all: Appaloosas have App-Attacks, Arabians become giraffes, etc. In my mind, they are all HORSES and horses tend to turn into horses every once in a while. And if you can calmly guide them back to Earth with a smile and a plan, you get a gold star.
I wish I was so confident in the saddle. I rode for a little under 15 minutes and felt a similar tension from Wizard when I began to think about the trot. We walked in patterns, stepped over ground poles, and worked on our little quarter-turns. But when I started thinking about the trot, my body must have cued him far before I meant to. He’s not nervous, he feels more impatient, like, “time to trot, lady!” I have a feeling that I’m holding back too much and I need to give in and ride through the trot a little more. Each one of these baby steps leaves me teetering on the cliff for a second before I leap to the next level. It’s not for lack of experience- I’ve ridden dozens of horses at a far faster gait than a trot. I think it’s more of a combination of me micro-managing him, worrying about messing him up, and me not having ridden in any meaningful way for almost a year. My friend Sarah said that she’ll be my “eyes on the ground” later in the week. I trust her opinion and her experience. I’ve know her for many years and she’s a beautiful rider, plus she’s the daughter of my former trainer who taught me bunches about jumping and horses in general.
We had two walk to trot transitions and the first one was better than the second. Both were better than the transitions indoors from the ride before. So it’s a little better, but still awkward. I blame myself entirely. Wizard is clearly getting more fit and supple and even his chiropractor said that he’s more than ready for more work.
So I rode for five days straight and he’s getting Sunday off. It was educational to see how Wizard liked it. On the plus side, he became more focused and relaxed (other than his little explosion on the longe) and on the minus side, he seemed less interested in grooming. Since Wizard barely is breathing hard and rarely breaks a sweat, we’re not exactly riding with any serious physical momentum. But it’s mental work and he is getting more supple and responsive. I can also see him getting WAY more graceful on the longe line. He does not look like four giant legs going in four directions anymore. And he can control his pace. The only time he canters on the longe is when he breaks into a canter on his own and I always ask him for a downward transition. I feel like he’s still a little too green for canter work on the longe. Trotting is best for strengthening him, anyway.
So for the next two weeks or so, we have a few plans on the horizon: a visit from the farrier on Saturday (he’s barefoot and I’d like to keep him that way this winter), worming with a Panacur PowerPac, and working on getting a calm and balanced trot/transition under saddle.
Wizard Ride 28: You Again???
Friday 12/26/08
Wizard must be getting sick of me by now. I’ve ridden 4 days in a row. I normally get to the barn about 3 days a week but I had a little extra time due to Christmas and staying at my Mom and Dad’s place taking care of their German Shepherd Dog, Slade.
For the past few weeks, Wizard has shown improvement during grooming. When I first started working with him, he was extremely ticklish and did not enjoy grooming at all. Then he became more tolerant as I learned how he liked to be groomed. But today and yesterday, he was back to being annoyed with grooming. He pinned his ears a few times and tossed his head. He’s never dangerous about it, but he’s clearly annoyed. It’s a well-known observation in the horse world that Thoroughbreds are thin-skinned and sensitive to grooming so I do my best to use the softest brushes and my best grooming technique. He’s always better about grooming after a ride. So should I reprimand him for being so goosey during grooming? Or do I continue to investigate the cause? Or should I keep working on my technique? The chiropractor just gave him an adjustment and did not feel any major problems. I think that Wizard will have a deeper appreciation for grooming when he begins to shed out his winter coat this spring.
I tacked up and put a quarter sheet on Wizard. Since the chiropractor noticed that his left hamstring seemed to have an old injury, I decided to try to keep the muscles warm during warmup and cooldown. He seems fine with wearing the sheet. We started by longeing for about 10 minutes. He longed beautifully- even better than yesterday. I was able to do large figures around the arena with him. He circled and even trotted down the long sides, all on the longe line. When I clucked to him, he lengthened his trot a little bit- hooray! He only balked once, and that was when I lost my focus for a moment. I no longer need to twirl the whip while he trots- I only twirl it if he needs more encouragement.
I tried out a new set of side reins that my friend had purchased. They were too short for Wizard so we barely used them.
I asked Wizard for a few basic commands from the ground. I’m beginning to ask him for a turn on the forehand from the ground and he’s doing really well so far. We tried it in each direction and then I asked for him to move his shoulders. He is SO much more willing to yield to pressure. I asked him to back up and he was a little more reluctant to do that, but still obeyed me.
After our ground work, I mounted up and we rode for about 20 minutes- it was too long of a ride. Wizard started out really nicely but I let the ride go on too long before asking for a trot. We started out walking the long sides and doing large figure 8s, baby serpentines, and what I call “paper clips”. There were no poles or obstacles and I think that Wizard lost focus and I was probably not riding with enough purpose. When I asked for the trot, I got the same unbalanced and confused trot I got the day before. I’m sure it’s my fault and now I need to figure out how to fix it. Once I got Wizard’s “good walk” back, I halted him and called it a day.
Wizard is trotting really nicely on the longe so I know he’s more balanced than he was when we began our work together. I need to learn to help him trot. Right now, I’m getting in his way. The thing that bothered me the most about the bungled effort was that he felt tense afterwards. When he gets tense, his neck is about two inches long and he tucks himself up in a ball as he walks along. It’s a real challenge for me to stay off his mouth when he does this. Today, I combatted my bad habit by resting my right hand knuckles in his neck and holding the reins with my left hand. It worked pretty well. I cannot let myself get grabby.
I think my plan for one of our next rides is to ask my friend to ride Wizard so I can see how he looks- and hopefully she can watch me and tell me if I’m doing anything wrong. I’m a very visual learner and I think I’ll be more comfortable balancing him if I see him trotting with another rider.
It was not a bad ride by any means, but after all of our little accomplishments, it’s a little tough to swallow a bump in the road. Wizard did not seem to mind, especially since I started him on a little daily bucket of Alfa Supreme today :^)
Wizard Ride 27: Free Jumping- Wheee!
Thursday, 12/25/08
Merry Christmas! I had a lovely day with my husband and family. When the festivities were over, I headed, where else, to the barn. Since it was a quiet night, I decided it would be a good time to introduce Wizard to free jumping.
First, I walked him in hand. Then, we did a little clicker training with obstacles. We stepped over jump poles and small obstacles. Then, I did a little free longeing at the trot to get him moving forward. I set up a pole on the ground and wings on the jump standard and asked Wizard to trot over the pole. He did a cute little leap and cantered off, snorting and flagging his tail. Good boy! We did the pole 3 more times and then I made it into a cross-rail. I asked him to canter over it, and WHEEEE!!!! He leapt over it and tossed his head proudly after the jump. Maybe he’ll be a jumper after all ;^)
Then I tacked him up and we worked just a little bit on longeing as a warmup. This was the best he’s been on the longe so far. He’s beginning to get the hang of verbal cues. He still needs a lot of work with them but there was some big improvement. We even longed at the far end of the ring, where he used to do his worst stopping and spinning. He did not stop or spin a single time. And I even felt a little bit of contact on the longe line! I could almost get a nice little mini-bend out of him when I stood right at his hip.
Then I rode for about 15 minutes. We did a little more work on turning. I always try to lighten my inside seatbone when I ask for a turn. He’s getting much better and keeping better contact with me. We rode across the diagonals and did a shallow serpentine, just to try a new pattern. Wizard still walks a little like a drunken sailor, but I can feel more strength in his hind end. And he chews in a more relaxed manner now. When he is concerned about something (like a horse cantering in the ring), he chews faster, like a Jersey Girl cracking her gum ;^) When he’s relaxed, he chews slowly or not at all. He’s beginning to play with contact, clumsily stretching into the bit and sometimes leaning on my hands. I try my best to keep my hands elastic but not too loose. He can stretch into them but he cannot pull me out of position. When he’s relaxed, his head is low. When he’s upset, his head is balled up and curled under. I press my hands on his withers in order to avoid the temptation to fiddle with the reins. I’m considering putting a neck strap on him so I can hook my pinky into it and avoid playing with the bit. I’ve ridden my entire life without ever using any sort of prop, but a recent thread on the Chronicle of the Horse Eventing Forum made me think twice. Since I’ve never trained a truly green horse before, I’d rather fiddle with the neck strap than his mouth while I get rid of this awful habit.
We did a little trot work in both directions. The first two times (these are all very short stretches of trotting) were the best. The third time, Wizard’s head bobbled around since he was off balance and I made the mistake of shortening the reins and feeling his mouth too much. We both were unhappy with that! I then asked for a walk and waited til he was relaxed again. Then I asked for one more trot. This was a little unbalanced as well, but better. I tried to let him get into the groove for a few steps, then asked for a walk. Whew! Ending on a good note is a good thing. And I really need that neck strap!
My Equine Reading List: Riding/Training Books I Got for Christmas
Riding and Training Books
Hunter Seat Equitation by George H. Morris
True Horsemanship Through Feel by Bill Dorrance and Leslie Desmond
Beyond the Track: Retraining the Thoroughbred from Racehorse to Riding Horse by Anna Morgan Ford with Amber Henitzenberger
The New Basic Training of the Young Horse by Ingrid and Reiner Klimke
The Circle of Trust: Reflections on the Essence of Horses and Horsemanship by Walter Zettl
Longeing and Long Lining the English and Western Horse: A Total Program by Cherry Hill
Tug of War: Classical Versus Modern Dressage: Why Classical Training Works and How Incorrect Modern Riding Negativaly Affects Horses’ Health by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann
The Complete Training of Horse and Rider in the Principles of Classical Horsemanship by Alois Podhajsky
Horse Racing Books
Gold Rush: How Mr. Prospector Became Racing’s Billion-Dollar Sire by Avalyn Hunter
Matriarchs Volume II: More Great Mares of Modern Times by Edward L. Bowen
Wizard Ride 26: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas…
Wednesday, 12/24/08
The horses stayed in because it rained. Now that Wizard is getting fitter, he requires more exercise. He used to be sleepy and a little lazy when he stayed indoors, but he was a little feisty on Wednesday! When I led him around the property, he hopped around and even pawed out a little bit (the first time I’ve ever had to really admonish him- he is a sensitive guy and just a stern word worked well).
Since the rain let up for a little while, I turned him out in the dryest paddock I could find. Wizard actually hopped around and played more than I’ve ever seen him play before. All of this work is making him a little more playful and full of himself. Watching him buck and strike out made me wonder… “Is he going to be OK when I ride him today?”
Yes, he was great!
I longed him for about 5 minutes. Then, I mounted up and we walked for about 15 minutes. Diego was in the arena with us and Wizard seemed to enjooy the company. We worked on a few big circles and a big serpentine. Then I dismounted and gave him a good grooming. And then I went home to celebrate Christmas :^)
Wizard Session 25: Round and Round
Tuesday 12/23/08
For years and years, I’ve asked for a cavesson and surcingle as a gift. Nobody ever got one for me until now. Mom and Dad finally broke down and ordered them from Dover Saddlery. After I opened them, I had to field a flurry of questions about my strange gear. “How does it work?” “Why can’t you just longe in a saddle and bridle?” “Won’t he look a little like Hannibal Lecter?”
So on Tuesday night, I put my new gifts on Wizard. I was a little concerned that he would be concerned about the big old piece of metal on his nose and the big old piece of leather around his belly, but he was just ducky with both. I even put a quarter sheet on his hind end while he warmed up and he was fine with that as well. Good boy!
I longed Wizard for a few minutes in the cavesson, surcingle, and a bit underneath (with no noseband). I used my KK Ultra. I normally ride in a Myler Comfort Snaffle (D ring) but I think that the KK Ultra is better for longeing and I’d like to eventually ride in it as well.
Once we got some good forward motion, I put VERY loose side reins on him. First, I hand walked him. Then, I longed him. He was actually better on the longe with side reins than he was in hand. I think he felt a little behind the bit when he was being led and the “door” was more open when I was longeing.
After we longed for a little while, I turned him loose and free longed a little bit.
Then, I put him to bed and fed him his good-night Dengie.
Wizard’s Equine Chiropractic Report #2: All Systems Go!
Happy Winter Solstice!
Wizard had his first chiropractic adjustment on Oct 29. His second adjustment was on Dec 20. I asked the chiropractor to watch his movement before she adjusted him. She said that he looks perfectly 100% sound in the front end (and he’s barefoot- yay!). The hind end is not uneven, but she saw weakness in the back and legs. Wizard stands cow-hocked and he’s a bit sickle-hocked . The chiropractor also noticed what looks like an old hamstring injury on his left side- he sort of lifts and slaps down his hind foot on firm footing after work. I was concerned about the looseness of his joints and the weakness in the hind end, but she said that he should be just fine for low level work, including jumping. She said that Wizard’s hind end will benefit from the work that I’m doing since his balance and strength will improve. I told her what kind of work we’re doing (very light!) and she said it’s time to step it up a bit- yay!
The adjustment went really well. The biggest adjustments that she needed to do were in Wizard’s withers and his neck. The neck alignment is possibly from needing more work done to his teeth. I had them floated but they still need more work. Wizard was a little concerned about the acupuncture needles but he responded to the entire exam and chiropractic workover really well. He was really willing to work with her, especially when she was working on his neck and hind end. I saw him relax and chew several times, as well as several huge YAWNS at the very end. I’ve read that yawning can indicate a release of toxins in horses.
The chiropractor also examined my saddles and how they sat on Wizard’s back- she agreed with my assessment that my jumping saddle fits better than my dressage saddle. This suits me fine since I prefer to ride in the jumping saddle anyway! She suggested a pommel pad to help with the fit of the saddle. The saddle fits well enough for regular work, and since he’s not my horse, I’m not exactly ready to go custom yet ;^) The saddle is the correct width but the pommel sits a tad low on him.
It was a relief to hear a respected veterinarian give me the go-ahead to do more work with Wizard. She also complimented the work I’ve done with him- he felt far more relaxed and willing than he was in his first adjustment. The first time, while he behaved himself fine, he was a little more reluctant and resistant to the adjustments- this time, he was like a puppy dog. I’m really proud of all of our progress.
Wizard Ride #24… Click-Click
Thursday 12/18/08
I had the day off of work and I brought my mom out to the barn for my ride. I tacked up and worked Wizard indoors. Worked on a lot of clicker groundwork with Wizard. I set up some obstacles with jump poles and standards, including a square, ground poles on a curve, half a cross rail jump, and an L-shaped chute. Wizard did his targeting commands very well and negotiated all of the obstacles in hand, including hopping over the itty bitty half cross rail. We also worked on walking into the box, doing a quarter turn, and walking out. Wizard was a little more demanding about his carrots so I will need to work on a “head away” cue to combat any problems with him mugging for treats. He’s a gentle horse and I cannot imagine him hurting anybody on purpose but I also don’t want him to learn any bad habits :^)
After our clicker training session, we did a few minutes of longeing, followed by a short ride. During our ride, I introduced him to the idea of doing the quarter turn in the box under saddle. He did it very well both ways but seemed more responsive when he was turning a quarter turn right than when he turned left. We also did a little bit of trotting again. Wizard felt good. He did a little fussing with his head and I did my best to keep my hands steady and quiet. At the end of our ride, I asked Wizard to halt at the far end of the ring. When we stopped, I inadvertently took a big sigh and was amused to hear Wizard sigh immediately after me. Monkey see, monkey do!
After our ride, I turned him loose in the arena and he trotted in a longeing circle without a line like a little circus pony! Whenever I say, “Good Boy”, he always halts and walks toward me, even at liberty.
Rock and Racehorses: The Blog 