I let Angel warm up a bit on the lunge while Chrissie got ready. No fidgeting at the trailer while I groomed and tacked. I can't wait to take her on some trail rides.

 

Chrissie put her in the side reins and lunged her while we watched.

She was very focused for being in a strange place. At just the whisper of walk or whoa she would rock back and slow down.

I'll probably lunge her before riding one more time. It's nice to be sure they're listening, but she is showing that it's not really necessary.

Hounds barking in the background, dogs and cats all around, Angel was aware, but never spooked. At this point Chrissie took the side reins off and walked back to the trailer to get her helmet. She never touched Angel, but Angel stayed right at her side and followed along like a dog that heels off lead.

Chrissie's been working with some big draft crosses, and her own horse is a little shifty on mounting. She was smiling and commented on how nice it is to get on something of reasonable size that just stands and waits for instructions.

Not exactly fair to ask Angel to go off alone in the woods with it getting dark, but Chrissie said she never needed the whip to keep her going and except for hesitating and staring at a couple of scary things, she was great. They went around the woods a few times and she was always obedient.

Angel's walk doesn't have a lot of reach, but it's energetic and even a bit animated. I rode her around the pasture at the end, and I noticed this time she listened to my leg for forward and I never needed the whip.

I was a little nervous watching, because the horse in the pasture decided at one point to come out of his run in shed and trot up and down the fence line again. Chrissie said that Angel needed to get used to it, since it would be similar in the hunt field. Angel swiveled her ears, but kept on with what she was doing.

Maggie (the dog) was all around Angel while they worked. Angel didn't mind of she was in front, beside or behind. Very encouraging when I think of hunting with hounds.

Chrissie rode her all around the place. Upper pasture and down to the creek bed. No neighing or dropping the shoulder to head back to the trailer.

It was dark by time they finished, so we threw Angel in the round pen (with hay and water) and went and had a nice dinner with Chrissie. We went back out around 10, in the dark, caught Angel and loaded her up. We were all quite impressed that she sniffed at the inside of the dark trailer and calmly walked right up. She got a little fussy when we stood around talking a little long than she thought we should, but I understand wanting to get home and go to bed. This Saturday I'll be up for roading, and I expect we'll have a great time.