Sunday Evening at the Barn

Sunday night I headed out to the barn just before it turned dark. I love that time of day as things wind down for the evening, the sky turns beautiful shades of color, and the horses are relaxed and happy to hang out with you.

Diablo, Abby, Sultanna, and Hokey. (Abby is licking the bars of the gate because she drooled some candy cane juice on them when I gave her her treats.)

 Hokey is my favorite of Tim's horses. He's intelligent and gentle, and he loves a good neck rub!

Tim and his son-in-law, Brandon, were in the indoor arena of the new barn working with Snickerdoodle.

A plastic shopping bag attached to an old golf club makes a great tool for sacking out a young horse.

I was impressed at how unperturbed Snickerdoodle was - Tim also threw a big rubber ball at him, under his legs, etc. and Snickerdoodle didn't spook or protest. 

Not bad for a two year old!

Tim is also working on bitting up. This is only the second time Snickerdoodle has had a bit in his mouth.

Tim had long reins on him and drove him a bit, and then longed him. Again, no protests from Snickers.

Brandon was going to step on a stool and put some weight on his back, but I had to leave before that happened as I had company coming for dinner.

Long range plans, according to Tim, are to train Sultanna and Snickerdoodle to drive and then use them in events, pulling his collection of antique vehicles. I think a matched pair of palominos pulling those will look really neat!