Short but sweet

Ollie and I had our first ride on Friday. It went well!

 

I put her out in the pasture for the first time on Thursday, so I wasn't sure how she was going to be to catch. Areem came up to me first (I freakin love that boy!) then she came up. I caught her without difficulty. I let her graze a little bit in the hay field, then brought her up to the barn to groom her. I had to get something from my car and when I came back she somehow twisted her self up the the cross ties. Luckily, she was razzled up about it and I just un-clipped her and turned her back around. I saddled her up, which she is a little cinchy about, put the bridle on her (she's still being a brat about it, but getting better) and took her to the arena and lunged her. She's just not getting the concept of moving forward going to the right. Or, maybe, she's just smart enough to know that when she stops she doesn't have to move forward (for a second, anyways)! I ended the lunging on a good note, and we went to the round pen.

I admit, I was a little frustrated with the lunging, that was just like "I'm getting on this friggin' horse today!". I know that's not the best attitude when first backing a horse, but whatever.. it worked. Lol

I free lunged her a bit then got a mounting block just to lean over her a bit. She didn't give a rats ass about it so I moved the mounting block and got on from the ground and just leaned on her, got off, got on, etc etc. Then I leaned on her and asked her to move forward, she did, I stopped her, and got off. Then I decided to just get on her. She stood nicely for me to move the saddle around a bit and get situated. I asked her to move forward to no avail. After lots of leg pressure, kicks, kisses, clucks, and light booty smacks, she walked off. Only for about a half lap of the round pen, then she stopped. Then more leg pressure, kicks, kisses, clucks, and light booty smacks came, and she walked on again! Lol. We did a few laps each way, and called it quits for the day. She responded okay to bit pressure -turning wise, but didn't like the "whoa" bit pressure so much. Overall, I'm happy with our first ride!

 

On another note, I'm moving back to the old barn today. I am getting a job that won't allow me to clean stalls in the mornings, and I can't afford the board at the place they are at now, so I have to move them. I really like the place they are at now, it has everything you need.. oh well. =\