![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Nothing out of the ordinary going on here. I'm enjoying having the Cowpony and the Old Man home, where I can look at them out my back window. They're doing well in the setup, although the spring grass is coming in and they think maybe they now need to be out on it 24-7 (sorry guys!).
The Cowpony and I have been working hard at improving our dressage. About 95 percent basics, lessons and learning. Oh my lord, I am kept so busy learning how much I don't know!
![Embarrassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
But, of course, the Cowpony is the Cowpony, and thus versatility is our wheelhouse.
![Cool 8-)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
A few weeks ago, we went to a competitive trail ride. I typically do these once every year or two, so they're not frequent, but they're always fun. We ended up going 36 miles over two days, with enough energy on his end to frolic out into the pasture when we got home
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
Then we started up our demos for the year. Word is getting out about our demos, I think. I give presentations to kids about horses and the horse industry, and I weave the Cowpony's tricks into them so it makes the kids laugh as well as educate them. A couple years ago we would do two per year....well, I've already booked 7 demos this year and had to turn several down
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
Then I decided it was time to get the Cowpony back on cows, whether or not we were ready. I mean, never mind that we'd seen two cows in the past year, and hadn't really practiced our reining (too busy with that dressage stuff!). But, what the hell, we're not getting any younger so I signed us up for a cow horse show. Turns out we were a little rusty, but mostly remembered what to do. Did well enough to earn a check that paid for the whole weekend with enough left over for a dinner.
![Cool 8-)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Anyway, on to photos. All these were taken in the past month: dressage lesson, practicing piaffe (and yes, the wind was strong enough to blow his tail straight out), one of the views during our competitive trail ride, doing a trick during one of our presentations, and stopping during our cow horse show.