Mustang Saga

Cisco has been ridden every day since we brought him home. John and I rode together yesterday. It didn't go as well as it could have. Cisco was a little bit quick on his feet and tried some head tossing. Next time I'm going to ask John to practice one-rein stops. I think that will be the key to solving the problem. He'll quit rushing if he has to stop all the time and he won't toss his head if he isn't being pulled back on.

Today I took Cisco out to the round pen. (Tonka was watching very closely from back at the barn, I think he was jealous.) Poor Cisco totally doesn't understand why anyone would want to ride in a small enclosed area. He's all about going somewhere, and he knows where the gate is. :) I tried the one real curb bit I own, a really gentle low ported one. It was no good, we weren't communicating. I went back to a snaffle. That was SO much better. I think the key with him is going to be one-rein stops and riding with two hands. I don't know how anyone every got along on him in a curb, unless he was just going down the trail with his nose up a mare's butt (as his old owner put it). He stops great no matter what bit, but he wasn't neck reining very reliably. Then again, it could be me.

Tomorrow I'm going to very reluctantly leave my Tonka at home and take Cisco out for a trail ride at Melissa's. Not that I won't enjoy riding Cisco, but I wish I could ride two horses at once. I need to really get an idea of what makes him tick and how he's going to behave before I ask John to ride him again.

Oh, and I trimmed his front feet today. He was pretty good. He's not perfect, but then they only trimmed him twice a year. And come to think of it, he behaved about as well as Tonka does, which isn't bad at all. His feet are good but small for a mustang, and they were kind of off balance since his last trim was done by a rocky trail.

Hopefully I'll get some pictures on the ride tomorrow.