Today I remember why you must be careful around hotwire.  We have hotwire strung over Ike’s new gate to keep him from crashing into the gate; just can’t afford to continually replace gates when we need to save for a bigger saddle.  I got just a wee bit too careless and let the hotwire sag down and touch the gate just as I pushed the gate open with my elbow.  POW!  Electric shock ran up my arm and made my fingers tingle and the hair on my arm stand up.  No wonder the horses avoid it.  Note to self, do not let wire touch the metal gate.  I repeat, do not let the wire touch the metal gate.

Luckily that was the only shocking news of the day.  Ike is such a good boy.  I cannot get over how lucky I am that the planets aligned at the right time for me to have such a amicable partner.  He worked well with other horses in the ring and stayed focused when they left him as he continued to work.  Now if he can only be as sane and low-key when we make our debut in public.  I’ve determined my goals for next Sunday:  Stay safe in warmup and stay on Ike’s back (it is an awfully far way to fall), Make it into the ring and past the judge’s booth, and Finish the tests with no extraneous movements.  Not lofty goals, but I’m really just hoping for a successful, positive outing.  We have many years ahead of us and many more shows to set higher expectations.

Trying to decide how to braid the giraffe’s mane.  Fewer, larger braids or smaller but more numerous ones?  Is there a better choice?  Feel free to chime in if you have any thoughts.  I’m leaning towards fewer braids because it is a task I do not enjoy.