Look what I found

It has been colder and rainy this week with temperatures down to the 60′s with 40′s at night. Paisano is starting to get a bit of a fluffy coat, and the light is fading at seven pm. I made it to the barn last night around six pm and found that Paisano had made a bed in his run in and was taking a nap in it. He always keeps his home very clean, never using it for a bathroom. And usually, his hay is spread around more. I had a vision of him carefully arranging his leftover hay in just the right way before lying down. His back was wet and I could tell that he had been turned out recently from the dirt in his feet. I considered not riding and leaving him to his nap. I sat by him for a while massaging his ears and crest.

I went to get my camera and hoped that he didn’t get up before I returned. I brought him a couple of carrots and fed him carrot bits. If I don’t break them up, he will chew it all whole and it’s gone far too fast. He had enjoyed the massage, but the carrots woke him up. I am happy that he is comfortable enough with me and his surroundings to let me sit with him while he’s lying down napping like that.

Since he was up, I had a short ride in the arena. I used my dressage saddle, which I’ve not put on him for some time. I don’t think that it’s fitting too well. He was reluctant to round up much and his downward transitions were quite hollow. I was also riding him in a jaquima. Next time we do arena work, I’ll go back to the FreeForm, which seems to fit him the best and his snaffle bridle and work on those downward transitions.

He used to take his naps out in the pea gravel. Maybe he’s telling me that it’s time to put some shavings in there for sleeping on…