Double Negatives

-5 x -5 = +25
I don't have no horses = I have horses
Unbalanced River + Unbalanced River = Balanced River

We tried cantering last night.  Actually, I'm going to take a quick detour...

I made my rule about no horses unless I do work.  So Tuesday I skipped the barn and got some stuff done.  Wednesday, I decided I would cheat and do the barn first really really fast and then do work.  Except I got to the barn just before 7 to find out that every other Wednesday, starting that Wednesday, the arena will be in use by the 4-H dog club from 7-8.  So my cheating totally didn't work!  On the bright side, I got a lot done on my schoolwork.

So back to last night.  To recap, friend cantered and jumped him Sunday, I cantered him Monday, then he had two days off.  I wasn't sure if we were going to try cantering or not, but I figured, why not.  He picked up a nice canter to the left, we circled a couple times, went all the way around the ring, and came back to the trot like a good boy.

Because he picked it up so well, I decided to try the depart from the walk.  Well, he almost got it!  He took a couple trot steps and settled nicely into a canter.  Cantered a bit, came back to trot for a while, asked for the canter again.  He picked up the right lead, aka the wrong lead.  Sorted that out, then I decided, hey, since he's already cantered on the right lead, let's change directions and actually ask for it!

Um, no.  We tried from the trot.... left lead, every time.  Tried from the walk... got several nice (albeit green) left lead canter departs.

Apparently, River can only canter on the right lead if we're going to the left.  He can only do nice left lead departs if we're going to the right.

Talking to a friend, we decided that River is so unbalanced that when he unbalances himself further, he magically becomes balanced.  Like a double negative.

Dumb boy.


Also, the antibiotic ointment + diaper rash cream is working on the yucky scabby patch on his fetlock.  I don't know if it's treating the cause of the yucky scabbies, but it's at least softening the scabs so they come off, and it's not spreading.  It's progress.

OH.  I almost forgot the most exciting piece of news.....


RIVER UNDERSTANDS CARROTS.

Thus far, the only treats he's been able to eat have been peppermints.  *Maybe* candy canes.  I pulled a bunch of carrots out of our garden and decided to try a couple of the little ones on River, not expecting him to actually eat them.. he did!!  Without hesitating!  My goodness, he's such a smart boy!


And last, but certainly not least....  River's SmartPaks

 They can fit his whole name on them now!!!  He's no longer Princess Rive!