September 10, 2011 - The hay field

Out behind the stable's property is a neighbour's hay field, and he has very kindly given us permission to ride around the edge of it.  The field is a large rectangle with the short edge sharing the property line with the stable property.  We're at the low end of the field and it rises up gradually for about two thirds of the length and then drops down fairly sharply in the furthest quarter, enough that we can't see anyone riding on the opposite short side.  The field is mostly alfalfa right now and close to knee deep on the horses.  Late last fall the neighbour replaced the tile drain at the near end of the field and had to leave the ground churned up as it was frozen chunks of ground mixed with big chunks of ice.  The spring was so wet that he couldn't get in to plant that section and has just recently given it a rough levelling.  We have to cross this rough section when we go to ride around the field.

Today we went for a ride around that field with another boarder after a few minutes in the ring Rory was very good.  He marched out in front and went over the berm first.  He paused to look for a moment before going down into the chewed up area and picking his way over to the grass.  I made him wait for the mare and we sort followed for a few steps but by the time we reached the corner I had him on a track to her right and he was pretty much beside her.  Partway down the field he drifted sideways as he eyeballed a very large boulder that was hiding in the treeline.  I halted him and he looked everywhere except at the boulder so he must have decided it was okay before the halt.  We continued and the mare spooked at a critter scuttling away through the treeline.  Rory spooked sideways a couple of steps too, but he only did it because she'd jumped sideways - he had no idea what he was spooking at.  The whole way down the field Rory was looking around, alert but not afraid.  We halted occasionally to let the mare catch up. 

Across the far end of the field he was looking up the hill then very suddenly brought his attention back to the ground under his feet as we reached a patchy area.  He didn't stop, but did look where his feet were going for a dozen or so steps.  The mare had another spook a bit further on and Rory didn't even flick an ear at her, it was like he hadn't noticed.  Coming back up the other side of the field he eyed the pile of metal and wood in that treeline as we went by but didn't move off course.  I had him walk over the chewed up area in the caterpillar tracks along the last stretch of field before we got back to the gap.  He led the way again, and again had to stop on the berm for a moment to look around and decide it was okay to go.  I was really pleased with how he handled the trip around the field.