Reunited with an Old Friend

'Tis December!  No Horse November is over and I have a little news!

Remember dear sweet Kevin from 2015? I'll be riding him again this year!  He's a little older and a little fluffier, but I'm excited to see how he shapes up for the show season. 

I nearly bought Kevin that year but I was convinced I wanted a more competitive horse in the reining and boxing classes so I bought Huck instead, and well, there's lots of blog posts about how that turned out if you want to reminisce...

Kevin's owner started showing him last summer in the walk/trot classes at the ranch shows and wants to improve on her Division Reserve Champion title from last year.  :)  He was originally purchased for her youngest daughter to show but she lost interest so her mom decided to take up riding.  She has made a lot of improvement during the last year.  I'm looking forward to getting Kev tuned up a bit so he's easier for her to show.  He can be kind of a brat and since she's such a green rider that he takes advantage. 

I'll be exercising Kevin once a week through the coldest months then increasing as we get to show season.  I want to ride and I want to show, but I REALLY need a year off from the kind of pressure I put on myself last year.  I have very different goals for my time with Kevin than I had in 2015.  Back then I was trying to make hi a Ranch Versatility horse, cattle work and all.  This year, I'm looking at Ranch Pleasure (his specialty) and Ranch Riding.  His owner will probably do the full slate of classes in either the W/T or Amateur division, but I'll just do my two classes and help her out for the rest.

I've had three rides with Kevin so far and I'm starting to see that easy loping wonder that I once knew.  We're working on all the tune-up basics: self carriage, collection, and extension of the gaits, steering, you know.  All the stuff.  I'm excited for this project! 

But Kevin maybe isn't so much...

Kevin may not be as excited as I am...