So the pony is clipped (touch-ups perhaps to come later this week), and I trimmed two and a half hooves this weekend and two tonight.  I got through her front feet, started on her hinds, got a first pass done and was ready to die in 80-degree weather at 7pm.  Instead of finishing hoof #3, I quit and went home.  No regrets!  Yesterday both hinds felt easy enough to do, and she self-trims the hinds somewhat, also helping to make my life easier.

Clipped pony.  I’ve done better, but they’re new clippers and it was hot out.

I still need to fit the Renegades.  The cables got replaced this weekend, though!  In true procrastinator fashion, I anticipate fitting the boots to her hooves sometime Thursday.

Bits are still baffling me.  The combination bit feels like too much bit for our local training rides.  It’s a lot of brakes and not much collection ability.  On the flip side, last year she pulled for the whole ride and I have no desire to repeat that.  But we have a friend this year, so maybe it’ll be okay?

Round pen work always starts with a good roll.

Ideally, I would have done two good rides this past weekend, then light rides Tuesday and Thursday.  Instead, we had a brisk short ride a week ago Saturday (5 miles), a long day a week ago Sunday (9 miles, then 7 miles), a moseying technical non-speed ride Tuesday, and 6 moderately paced miles on Sunday.  Today?  10 minutes in the round pen, 10 minutes walking around the barn bareback in a rope halter.  It’s a really lovely taper, it’s just not at all what I’d intended to do prior to this ride.

Still to do: pack car, wash pony (mane and tail only), fit boots, sort out timing details.