Ride #5 & Reflection.

This past week has been a bit of a 'chasing your tail' type of week. Work was likely the busiest I have seen in years, last minute Christmas shoppers were coming out of the woodworks so the roads were brutally full, I still tried to cram in two hours of studying for my exam per day and make sure to give Solo my utmost attention once I made it to the barn.

Just crazy, but hey, we are now on the other side and I am booting up for another crazy ten days for Christmas dinners, parties, visits. Who ever said Christmas vacation was relaxing? 

This past Friday, DH had man time at the house so I went to have some barn time. I mean I was going to go anyways but it is a great excuse so I don't feel so bad when DH says, "I think you want to spend more time with Solo than me...?!"

What? Pft? No!.... :S

The plan was for Michelle to meet me there and for us to have a final ride before she moves to another barn in a week. Plus, it is a great experience for Solo to have another horse riding in the arena for the first time. Thunder/mich are likely the only ones I can trust not to run me down. Ha.

I got to the barn early toting more gifts for Solo. I sank and bought him another blanket, a new fuzzy girth, Pink equine polos in grey (since all my nice boots just slide off his legs), and some fun peppermint treats, which he hates fyi! Grr.

I didn't have time to lunge so I ended up working with the flag a few minutes, getting his attention on me, walked him in hand through some pole obstacles and then proceeded to the mounting block to do some work there before I hopped into the tack.

Solo's least favourite part of what I have put him through so far has been the mounting block. He has now gotten past his frozen in terror stance when seeing me standing over his head waving or bouncing like a physcho. He has also gotten over the patting, leaning etc but he still looks a bit nervous at the point between foot in stirrup to actually sitting in the tack. Once you hit the tack you know your in the clear!

He has started a bit of an evasion by trying to back away from the block. I was patient the first dozen times, moving him back up and standing with a firm 'stand'. Then, the thirteenth time, he got a bum tap and a whoa! This seemed to fix it for today.

When I got up, we did more loops and swoops, walk on's and whoas. Then finally picked up a trot, which turns into a jog in corners due to lack of balance but that's okay. We even coasted behind Thunder to encourage big trot. It worked and I finally got a feel for his gorgeous HUS trot. Drool.

We then called it quits for the day and I ground tied him in the arena while we watched Thunder finish his ride. Even this I found was great experience for him, getting used to hearing horses behind, around etc and at a good clip, not just walking. Again, he didn't care but I was super happy to see that.

Good lad. Despite the actual riding being limited to 10 mins two or three times a week I feel like he is catching everything I am tossing his way. I have to restrain myself from pushing more than I know he is mentally, and physically able to handle.

Another plus he seems to have gained some weight and his 'used to be man parts' have finally shriveled to raisons, lol. On the right track!