Hi-ho Hi-hope...

...outsi-ee-ide we go! What a wonder-filled day the first outing was, and continues to be. After Hope's first brief encounter with the wild outdoors, she has been turned outside every day with Cierra.

We decided to set up panels in the upper pasture, where we can see all the horses from inside our house. It takes two people to walk Cierra and Hope in hand. There is partial shade briefly in the morning. Turnout time and length varies depending on variables. 

Hope has been handling the outdoors very well. She completely surprised us by how well she walked in/out in-hand!! Especially the first few days. Brad said it was as if she puffed her chest out, proudly walking past the other horses to show them she was a big girl.

It is not the easiest walk to their paddock. There is varied changing terrain of concrete, gravel, grass, at an incline/decline. There is also lumpy freshly dug dirt ('er sand) from removing trees to create a new entrance to the upper pasture. Sometimes Hope gets sticky feet for a bit in that area (yellow arrow).

We walk between trees, and under a canopy of branches. Through the pasture, to their moveable paddock. We have already relocated panels once to a new spot with fresh grass in the pasture. 

entrance/exit to upper pasture

(view from the concrete barn patio)

The tall pasture grass must tickle and the urge to run is real. We also walk past the big horses calling out at their gate. The first few days they created a lot of energy. They want to be in the lush upper pasture and meet the newcomer.

you are leaving us here?
5/20/23

exploring the new digs

view from our deck

calling her fan club (16 sec)

testing out the footing (24 sec)

As you can see, Hope does stretch her legs in the paddock but doesn't get the zoomies like she does in the indoor arena.

sassy pants kicked her mom (25 sec)

I went back inside for my camera. Hope kept coming over to me. That doesn't work well for taking photos with a long lens! There were also weird pockets of half shade and sun. Not to mention the constant fencing. I consider all of these outdoor photos as memory photos.

Hope has been doing well with daily haltering, but it is still tricky to get on. Once she see's mama start leaving the stall, she usually gives into our ask and stands still-ish. For now it stays on during turnout, but not in her stall. We are almost past evasive moves and insta-backing. Almost. 

first turnout day
5/20/23

Cierra was sooo happy to be outside!

It is close to impossible to take unobstructed photos in a paddock. Regardless, I took a few more photos with my camera on their second turnout day. 

second turnout day
5/21/23

what Koda thinks of them eating lush grass

Hope at almost 6 weeks old
5/21/23