Indulge me a little…short brag on my 3 y/o (he’ll be 4 next week, I know he’s technically 4 now, but again, indulge me ;)) American Saddlebred gelding. I took him out hunting for the first time today. I broke him late last summer and have been riding him very intermittently since…think every 3 weeks or so. He remembers his lessons well and is a level headed kind of guy.
Small field (9), nice sunny day, we all went together as a first flight. Out just over 2 hours. Atlas had his first ever experiences with being ridden in a group, galloping full out, having hounds around, crossing water, mud/much, slick uphills and downhills and some very hairy crossings, an ice hill in the woods, the huntsman cracking his wrip and firing his pistol from about 10 feet away, mooing cows, and generally seeing interesting things :lol: He was a CHAMP. Never hesitated for a moment, found his way through the crossings, galloped and stopped and hung out, walked away from the group when asked, etc. Total champ. I’m so, so proud!!!
