Mustang Saga

Today I finally got around to watching the video of my ride on Scout on Sunday. It didn't look near as bad as it felt from the saddle. I think I'm being too critical and impatient. I also think I'm not quitting when I should. I might take a short ride tomorrow if the footing isn't too slick.

Thanks for the suggestions in the comments! I'm going to try sitting quietly and visualizing what I want. I did do that but I think I was impatient there too. I suspect he might just start fussing though - trying to eat the reins or the saddle. Also, when I ask him to go forward I'm trying not to mess with the reins, just leave him his head, but when I watched my video I found I'm moving the reins more than I thought I was. I'm going to change that. But part of the problem is he's dorking around trying to chew on everything, so I try to redirect him with the reins. I wonder what he would do if I ignored him instead? I did try slapping my leg to get him to move before I got off and found a whip. It didn't seem to help after the first startle factor wore off.

Today I waited until the horses looked thoroughly bored, then I went out to see them. Tonka came right up with great interest. I lunged him about 8 circles in each direction and then took him back to the pasture. I haltered Scout for a couple minutes and moved him around.

The real fun came when I rolled a plastic barrel into the pasture. I pushed it around for a while. Tipped it over under Scout's belly. Scout was kind of interested. He nosed it and licked it, pawed it a bit. He was more interested in my pockets because I had given him a treat. Tonka pawed it around a bit too, and I'm pretty sure he was trying to stand it up by grabbing the lip with his teeth. I rolled it up against his front legs and backed up, asked him if he could come here. He had his super cute, intense, interested face on. He put one hoof over and it flipped so it was between his front legs. Then he maneuvered himself to where it was under him and scooted it back toward his back legs with his front legs. He did this for a while. When it would get off center he'd move sideways and around to where it was straight across in between his front and back legs, then scoot it toward his hind legs again. It was great to watch! He was having a lot of fun, I think he was trying to show off for me, and his back was up and his core was engaged. I'm thinking I'm going to try to encourage that game. If I can get a video and figure out how to edit it, I'll post it. I don't have the software I had before.

Anyway - it was a good day. Thought provoking. I still have lots of learning and playing to do!