The sun sat lazily on top of the trees. Leaves swayed and shimmied in the wind, leaving round grey spots on Gatsby's coat. The sun gave the earthy red color an almost gold tint. He seemed to have an almost Aura around him. His eyes were soft and lazy as he smacked his lips glamorously.

Today was the second day of standing tied for Gatsby, it's remarkable how quickly he picked it up. I credit it to pressure-give-release training. Every time he pulls away, he feels pressure, he's being trained to give in to pressure, so he stops moving away and voila, release. I had him stand for a good twenty minutes with the lead looped over the rail-not tied so there was no risk of him feeling panic and not being able to get away.

I swept the soft brown brush over his body. I talked him through the plan for today. I hopped out of the pen and walked to the barn. In a far back corner covered in dust was my old bareback pad. Complete with cinch. I grabbed it and took it to Gatsby. He didn't even look at me when I tossed it on his back. I looped the cinch so that it was touching him, but it wasn't tight. I sent him out on the lunge line. Walk, trot, canter. He handled it beautifully. I released him with the pad still on, allowing him to get used to it on his own accord. He reached back and tugged on the straps, but other than that paid it no-never-mind. I must admit he looked handsome in the Kelley green pad.

Later I took it off and set it on the rail. I went down to the barn to get his dinner, only to come back and find Gatsby tossing his new outfit around like a toy.

"It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Ch. 5