So sorry for your loss, what a heartbreaking conclusion.  

I hate to be a pest, but I want to see more of Ike!  :)

Yes.  I feel like I miss a lot of local things because I'm not well connected and generally keep to myself.

Any update on Mr. Ike?  :)  He's got a fan club.

She definitely gained a ton of confidence - to the point I was asking her to slow her roll a bit, no need to power walk the teeter totter 😂.  We were the only ones there, which was good and bad - it would have been nice to have additional horse distractions, but ah well!  

Some horses can't be cleaned even when drugged, but most can be cleaned either by training or using the happy juice.  I wouldn't trust any non-rinse formula - the whole idea is to get that gunk out.

Hear, hear!  Love reading these.

June 13!

My best guess is that the off billet tore and scooted the girth over and goosed her.  We had been riding for about a half hour, she was doing well, no issues at all.  It's the first time she's tried that under saddle so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, though she's "that type" in general so it's no huge surprise.

I know what we need to work on though!  1) one rein stops and 2) my own reaction time in getting her pulled around.  

She was pretty shook up, but we walked and trotted around again immediately after the incident to not end on "that" note.  

For the brain bucket - after I had a very large horse trip while riding basically catapulting me into hard ground head first, I have never ever ridden without one.  Cheap insurance, for me!  The trip was by far my worst fall, and the only one I haven't immediately stood up from.  Different strokes for different folks, and I respect everyone's decisions on the matter.  :)  In this case, boy am I glad I had it on - I'd have been in bigger trouble without it.