My son loves his new cowboy look, can you tell?
And India loves carrots. She very craftily made off with the carrot bag twice, but we caught her both times.
Bella was a good girl yesterday. Every day things go a little better and she's a little more relaxed.
I like how Bella's white flecks show up so well in this picture.
I saw this picture and it brought to mind how much is really going on here in this peaceful little circle between human and horse.
Here I was chewing out Liam for getting back up on the fence when I'd asked him not to sit up there. I had just mounted and Bella was watching me put my foot in the other stirrup. Not good for me to be so distracted in such a moment. I should have ignored him...
My sister had an idea to make it more pleasant for Bella to be ridden. She walked around and fed her carrots and grass while I sat on her back. Bella didn't care much about me at all, other than once or twice when I put my leg on and she got irritated. I think we need to do a lot more desensitizing in the leg area. I did keep moving the whole time I was up there so she wouldn't forget I was there. She really enjoyed the food but I'm not sure it made much difference in her saddle training. If nothing else it was fun for her, and I like to see her enjoy herself.
I do like the idea of having someone lead me around while we get the feel for things, and maybe eventually lunge us. I know it seems like a kiddie pony ride but whatever works. I don't think she's going to buck but I do think that extra person there gives her more confidence.
She' a good girl.
I also asked my sister to check out her weird gaits. It seems to be mostly a mental thing, she's not relaxing into the work and she's being a bit sticky. She's also out of shape. I'm thinking maybe she needs to come off of the grass. She is very fat and she did founder last year in September. So today I'm going to do some pasture reorganization and put Bella in dry lot.
That said, I better be off to work!
4 comments:
She looks GREAT and I love that picture of Liam. I think having someone lead and lunge you is an excellent idea.
I like the idea of being led and lunged - that gives you the ability to try some things out with her with some boundaries in place.
I really liked how my friend helped me with Cody's first few rides. I was nothing more than a passenger, she 'longed' (loose) him from the center of the pen. This way she was directing his feet and direction like he was used to and I was just this thing on his back, we'd end the rides with me asking him to stop/go/turn without her. It worked really well and she thought it safer than having a lead or longe line attached as if something happened there was an extra rope to get tangled up in.
Oh, and was going to add, I think that's how Curt and Tracy handled her first rides on Tika as well.
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