Big Ben

I took the kids out to play with Ben the day before Honey Joe and Andrea got there with the trailer to take them down to the ranch for the cattle drive. They got to throw a saddle on him and ride him around. But here is some shots of them just riding around in the pasture. He was so funny. He won't neck rein unless he wants too, and that neck is so thick he just walks where he wants to no matter how hard you pull on the lead rope tied to his halter. I had to give the kids a stick to tap him on the ass with to make him go. The other horses would run off, then tap tap tap on the butt and he'd mosey on over to where they'd run to. They run off, and tap tap tap. They had a good time. We took him to Niagra Springs Canyon today. I got a Tom Thumb bit for him with copper rollers. We rode in that today and he was great. Started out trotting and cantering down the trail for a far bit. He rides in the front, middle, back of the pack. He doesn't have a smooth right lead canter, and a horrible left lead. Both leads are pretty smooth. Nice slow comfy lope. I can get him to switch leads fairly easy when he wants to neck rein. Sometimes he doesn't. He crossed into water and walked down the creek and back out the other side, no issues. We crossed back over and took the mountian trail back instead of the bottoms. He went up and down hills, jumped into ditches and back out. Picked his way neatly through the rocks. He's barefoot right now, and never took a tender step. Huge hard feet. The saddle he came with is terrible for mountian trails. Feels like it wants to tip me forwards too much, so I didn't take the really steep downs. I went around and met back up with Kurt and his two. But he went all day and just wanted more. I'm really happy with my big ugly gelding