Yay! it's Spring!!!!!!!!

I absolutely LOVE spring! Now that the early spring mud is gone, the grass is green, the trees are blooming, the leaves are budding, the daffodils and tulips are nearly done, and the shedding is in full swing! I was able to give June-Bug a quick bath yesterday before my showmanship lesson. Not the most thorough since I had to both hold his lead and do the scrubbing, but such an improvement over the winter-sticky he was covered in, and that first bath really helps the shedding out. I love it when the yellow-brown suds get rinsed out and you know all those months of poo are going away! I can't help rubbing my hands all over him when he's freshly dry from a bath because he feels so clean and soft. Of course there's still the fact that as clean and soft he felt, I felt filthy and soaking wet!

We got to use our cooler, too! I like it a lot but it needs to be washed with a little vinegar to make it a little more wicking. At least that works for towels so I assume it'll work for polar fleece?


Showmanship is going very well. We certainly need a lot of practice and fine tuning, but the elements are all there. Not an acceptable pull-turn yet, but the pivot, set up, back, walk and jog are there. We aren't always in step or always in an even cadence and we lack real snap and polish, but that takes time. I'm very pleased with how well he's been doing.

We had a western lesson last night, too and it was very uneventful, which, I guess for Western Pleasure is a good thing! He's become very consistent and easy to ride and if he acts that way in the show ring I'll be ecstatic! I don't think we're every going to have a true slow lope, but he's collected and relaxed so I'm okay with that. I'm excited to see how he does at our first show which with either be on April 25th or May 1st, depending on how busy work gets! I'm for sure doing the show on the 1st, but may not be able to get away for the 25th. We'll see. Plus I need to have a new jacket made by then... yikes.