Mustang Saga

Today was a better day.  I saddled and bridled Pedro and we worked in the round pen.  His bit is a simple Myler comfort snaffle.  It works much better than a halter.  At first he did the same thing he does with the halter, which is root into it and pull against me, but after the first few successful turnings of his head, with my immediate release and praise, he knew what the right answer was.  He doesn't always want to give the right answer, however.  But we're making great progress.  This was the third time we've practiced this from the ground. 

Once we'd practiced a couple successful stops, I climbed in the saddle.  We rode for maybe 15 minutes, doing fairly well, and then I hopped down, took his bridle off, petted him a lot, and we went for a walk.

I took him into some trees near the house, on the neighbor's property.  They're not much like a forest but it was nice to see that he wasn't really nervous.  At one point he was breathing heavily, I think smelling all the strange scents, but he didn't seem overly nervous.

Then, sadly, it was time for them to be wormed.  I'm doing it again to be extra sure they're all clean.  Then they'll go on the regular schedule.  They were very good about it.  Bob was a bit offended but didn't take much convincing. They were both very cute afterward, begging for treats.  Which of course they got.

The view from on high:

Vote for Pedro!

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If you haven't seen Napoleon Dynamite, you really should.