Best few days - Ever!

After much theatrics - eye rolling, snorting, only going in reverse - from Darcy, we did it - and h LOVED it! To the extent he was soon taking one look at the dam and trotting into it. I can barely keep him out!
And after the near-death experience Alti had on the way to the dam (involving his reins getting tangled around his legs and him panicking, rearing and falling over...not nice) he was an absolute angel as soon as he'd recovered. All it took were a few calming words, a bit of a cuddle and a big, big nuzzle from him, and it was as though it never happened. I was so, so proud of him for relaxing so quickly as soon as he heard my voice - I still don't feel like we've got that connection yet that I do with Darcy, which I will know will come with time, so to know he trusted me so much was amazing. And I don't think Cam will ever let him walk with loose reins again... but look how nicely he's working for Cam now!

We did it!

October

Aside from the minor incident of Darcy getting stuck in a fence (how? why?) and doing the above to his legs, everything's going well with the boys. I moved them to another paddock as the 17hh Steeplechaser in the next field was bullying them, and they've now got a bigger area and lots of big, shady trees for the Summer months. I've been giving Cam regular lessons on Altibo, and Darcy is being lunged every second day, and walked in and around the arena and jumping paddocks to get him used to different sights and sounds when we ride out. I'm feeding them both myself now, and they're both glowing without their rugs on. Both ripped their Weatherbeeta's off, and Darcy destroyed two cotton rugs completely, along with Altibo getting through 4 pairs of over reach boots in 3 weeks.

I'm seriously considering dressing them up for Christmas, and I love this saddle pad! It's probably a good thing they already have two custom saddle blankets being made to order with their names embroidered on them, otherwise they'd have some cute (faux) dead bears on their back, to go with this...