We opened the big gate

Team Tucker has another first!

It wasn't smooth, it wasn't great but it was an accomplishment.

We opened a big 14' gate at the neighbor's house. I did start rushing which was not good but.....we undid the latch, stepped back to the first third of the gate, pulled the gate open, got turned and got around the end of the gate [almost caught my foot], got side passing to pull the gate closed, backed and closed the latch. That was a real accomplishment.

It was a lovely ride to my neighbor's house with a bit of a breeze and 80 degrees out.

Up the sandy road and a bit of jogging which felt pretty comfortable today.

We went the back way through the desert. I didn't pick up the trail right away so I had to turn back on the road. Tucker thought "hey, we are headed home." No we are not!

I managed to find the trail. We turned on to the trail and I rode the trail with very little reins just using my body and legs to guide the horse until we got to the tricky part where there were squirrel and rabbit holes on the sides of the trail.

When we got to the neighbor's house, I told Tucker to go through the obstacles. He said he didn't want to. I patiently made my position clear and he did go through the dry pond area, over the bridge, around the trail and then we headed to the back.

Brownie the Wonderhorse was tied up waiting. We measured Tucker and he needs an 82 inch blanket. He is one long horse.

The horses stood tied for quite awhile until we were done chit chatting and then off we the four of went, through a couple of more obstacles including the real pond which we splashed through all by ourselves with no help from Brownie who was no where near us. Then over to the gate where we were a success!

Took the long way home through the desert, down the sandy road to my house. I asked Tucker to make a left and do a couple of obstacles before heading to the home pen. Of course, he started to object but decided to go along with the program.

I maneuvered us through the home pen gate and we closed it like a couple of pros. He side stepped to get me over to the gate. He is such a good boy.

I jogged him around the home pen once and called it good. I told him to line it up at the mounting block where he stood like a rock for me to get off.

I felt so relaxed and peaceful finishing up, brushing, checking feet and feeding and watering all the critters. What a lovely time we had as the sun was heading due west and getting lower and lower in the sky.