Mago prepares for trail riding

Note him playing with the ball that I hung up for when he is inside - he flings it around with gusto for his hour of "rest" each day.

I have taken to the trails on the ground with Mago to familiarize him with where he will shortly be getting going under saddle.  His paddock has limited good footing for galloping and playing, so when I got him out in front of the house he was quite exuberant.  To start, I put his bareback pad on then played in circles, sideways and backwards to get the "knots out".  From there, we have for several days now gone trekking on the trails to check them out, both of us on foot and finding that there are still some pretty mushy wet spots.   After another week or so most of the trails should have a more solid bottom and Mago will be adjusted to Harley the Wonder dog trotting ahead and sometimes racing out of the bush from behind him.   The first couple of times this caused a big show of bucking and such jolliness.  By the end they were working in harmony and looking for each other, Harley to lead, Mago to investigate the interesting smells and sights along the way.   We were able to get from head up and boing-boing-boing stepping to relaxed neck and back, forward and floppy ears and soft blinking eyes on Mago.   The latter being a horse that can cope with trail riding.   He gallops to the gate and stuffs his head into the halter now because he seems very eager to get out and play this springtime game.   Hopefully after hours on the trail in the summer he will still feel the same way..... maybe if I keep trim enough to make it easier for him???