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[RC] trading horses (or Alpine's vacation) - agilbxr

One of my good friends has been having some health problems lately, and hasn't been able to work with her 6 year old Appy (he's 1/4 arab, 3/4 foundation Appy).  She asked me yesterday if I'd be willing to trade horses with her for awhile.  Soooo, Alpine is going to Nancy's for a vacation, where he'll get brushed and fussed and loved on, and probably fed within an inch of his life, and Spot the Appy is coming to my barn for training camp.  hehehe...Spot has NO idea what he's in for.  (Spot is the horse that I've always said, If I could afford 2, he's what I want.  He'll be an ideal endurance horse, great legs, short strong back, nice trot-smooth but long-and enough attitude to do whatever.  I think he'd do a 100 mile ride with no problems..with a bit of conditioning of course. And he's flashy as heck...almost a leopard with some roaning on his neck, but he has spots in 3 different colors.)
 
The barn I board at is sitting on a 33,000 acre state forest.  We have access to the forest trails from the property...we don't even have to go down the road first.  Spot has a fantastic base of LSD, but hasn't really been ridden in the last year or so, and never by himself.  Any suggestions for getting an unfit, arab/appy with an attitude to go riding by himself?  I figured I'd start with ringwork to remind him that I do indeed call the shots (and to remind my self how to ride a horse that trots...), and hand walking him down the trails to where the REALLY good grass is, and then proceed to short rides by ourselves.  Mixing that in with group rides with the other boarders out there too.  Alpine has always been able to go out by himself...he's just a tad spookier.
 
Anyway, I was planning on a 50 mile ride on Alpine in the fall, but I see no reason Spot couldn't do the same thing.  He stays in condition better anyway (it's the arab blood....), and could probably do 25 right now without too much fuss.
 
Ok, I'll quit babbling for now, but undoubtedly you guys will be hearing more about Spot, and my trials with a new horse to ride....
 
Juli (I wonder where my desitin is?)
and Alpine (goin on vacation! goin on vacation! woo hoo!)
and Spot (you want me to do what?)