Day 74--Jessica has been a bad, bad blogger!

Where did the last month go? All the sudden, a whole month has gone by and I haven't updated my blog. I know, I know--shame on me. Well, we have a little less than one month to go before the competition in June, so I'll try to keep you updated better between now and then. If you guys want to know more about the competition schedule and buying tickets for the exciting events, please visit www.extrememustangmakeover.com

Well, Cash and I have done a lot in the past month, that's for sure! We've done an all day cow working clinic, where we learned a bit about stopping and turning a cow. We've visited CSU during their Spring Fling horse show, on the english day--we were a bit out of place in a western saddle, but it was great to be in the CSU arena (where the comp. will be in June) with a bunch of other horses. We've been hitting the trails (alone so far) around the ranch here. And we've been on our first official "away" trail ride to Mount Margaret. We even have done a bit of english riding and have started playing over jumps.

Cash is really starting to mature in his riding. His right lead canter (previously a pain to get) now comes very easily. We "mostly" have a walk to canter transition, as long as he's awake and ready for it. We've got pretty smooth simple lead changes. And we've started doing our bridleless work. In fact, when I rode him on Sunday, I had the bridle on but completely dropped the reins and hardly touched them for the last half hour of our ride, which included canter circles, simple lead changes, stops from the canter, and backing up with no hands. It was pretty cool. I was so happy and proud at the and of that ride. He's really coming along.

We've found a bit that works great for him and fits well in his little mouth with his big tongue. Finding a bit that works certainly has been a challenge, but the PeeWee bit has won the prize. Theresa at Happy Horse suggested it, and Cash really likes it. It's gentle and comfortable for his mouth and really minimizes lip pressure. I'm sure you can google it to find out about it if you're interested.

He has been an absolute star out on the trails! We go out alone from the house here in Bonner Peak and he has no hesitation about leaving home alone. He's yet to spook at anything, although one bright shiny red car that passed us on the road did cause him to do a double-take. Maybe he saw his handsome reflection. He was amazing amazing amazing on our Mount Margaret trail ride. We rode for about 4 1/2 hours, wore saddlebags, crossed a river and lots of smaller water, opened and closed gates, and rode up a short section of steep rocky stuff. It was such a pleasant ride because he was nonplussed by everything. In fact, a little too nonplussed. Even going home back towards the trailer, he "had his mosey on." He was happy to be out trail riding, but not in a hurry to get anywhere. We had to do lots of trot to catch up with the other horses walking--and they were walking at a normal speed, certainly not power-walking.

I've liked Cash from the beginning, but I am really starting to fall for him now. It was that ride without reins and the big trail ride that really sealed the deal. He was like some 20yo deadbroke horse that had been trail riding his whole life. Hard to find that in a 4yo--especially one that was "wild" only two and a half months ago. So if anyone knows of someone who wants to adopt a mustang and donate him back to his trainer so that the trainer can use him to promote the American mustang, feel free to pass my info along! At one of the EMM events this year, that exact thing happened when the mom of some country singer star won a mustang for $25k and is having the trainer keep him so he can travel and promote the breed. But alas, I know no country singers nor their mothers...