Making a Connection

Well, the new horse still has no name. I just can't settle on one.

She is super interesting. Quite a fun girl, a challenge, but not too much of a challenge. I'm having fun having stuff to think about and things to work toward.

When I went to pick her up (I had driven over 8 hours and stayed in a hotel, it wasn't like she was local) it took a while to catch her, and then I was told not to tie her up while she's getting to know me. Maybe I should have just left. But I wanted this horse. So yes, she has broken away from the trailer once (blocker tie ring) but luckily I was able to catch her easily.

We have had to do a bit of work in the round pen. But now she doesn't make me chase her before I catch her. I think she thought that was an expected part of the human game.

Riding goes well, but she does spook at times. We had a couple good spins on our first trail ride. Those darn birds that explode out of the trees right next to you..  John thought it was a turkey. I was too busy to look.

We are still working on standing at the mounting block. I think we've pretty well figured out standing in a ditch or next to a hump. She doesn't rate well going down steep hills, and is unsure about thick brush. She is afraid when she is the rear horse.  I just don't see how she could have been such an amazing mountain horse, unless maybe she was in the middle of a string and in easier terrain. Or maybe her rider had different expectations. Oh, she also didn't like bones. A hunting horse?

She is sure-footed, guides well, is mostly willing (one area I think smelled like wild beasties, Scout was worried there as well) and she's just plain sweet. She just needs to chill out a bit. She's very serious.

Sometimes I get mad that her value was overstated and she's not the horse that was advertised. But that's not her fault and my anger isn't directed at her. I need to let it die and bury it & walk away because it's not helpful at all. She is herself, and that's all she knows. Her whole world changed and she lost her best friend and now I'm trying to make friends but I'm also making her step outside her comfort zone a lot.

She's a good girl. She's going to do just fine. Wave goodbye to Negative Nellie. I'm going to focus on our successes from here on out.