Solo; Ride Number Three!

Weanling Solo, lunging.

So far still alive to tell the tale of Solo and ride number three!

These past few days working with Solo have been pretty eventful. Part of what I love best with working with babies. Everything is so rewarding as you see a huge difference each and every time, thinking I totally did that!

Friday evening DH had guys night so girls night meant barn time for me. Though, it ended up just being Solo and I but he might as well classify as a girl.
I started working with him like I always do. Sticking to the routine of lunging with full tack, w/t/c each direction, then working with him at the mounting block. Flailing, flapping, bouncing, whatever I can imagine. Thankfully, I get the excuse that all this is for his benefit, working with a baby you know! The more you look like an idiot the better! Even though we all know the truth :p.
I got up in the saddle eventually and managed a few rounds of forward and hopped off with lots of pats and rubins.
Then, I did some desensitizing and sensitizing. Working with a big 5' Canada flag on a short pole. It was probably the scariest thing I could find since he gets over everything quickly. I started off having him follow me to instill relaxation and scary object moving away. Getting him curious first. Then, I worked on approaching him with it and eventually working up to flapping it on his back. Solo found this pretty shocking at first but he got over it quickly and relaxed. Though, not totally pleased with the idea. Good boy!

Sunday. Well Sunday was a bit more eventful. Things started the same but when it came to mounting up he was cool and calm until bad timing hit and someone opened the arena door behind us as I was one foot in the stirrup and leaning. Poor Solo didn't handle the sensory overload and took off bucking with me one foot in the stirrup like a rideo cowboy doing tricks. No nasty bucks and something I could likely have handled had I been in the tack but no harm. I landed on my knees and gave him a scolding though it was not fully his fault. That right there determined the lesson for the day, mounting on and off, on and off each side. Nothing hit the fan after this so it made me more confident that this was not an issue. We finished the day with a couple laps in walk, steering in figure eights and a couple trot steps which I swear require a seatbelt since Solo could not figure out if he should stop or keeping forward when he felt my weight shift with his steps. It felt like teaching someone to drive standard!
I hopped off and followed the routine of something new for desensitizing. Tarps. That proved zero issue no matter where I put it or how many times I asked him to walk over it.

This morning! Well, this morning, keeping it short since work beckons. Same routine, when I finally got in the tack Solo was very good and ready to listen. We started to learn moving away from leg pressure and we even trotted two circles!

Pretty great day!