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5-9-00 I GOT ON!!! She was such a good girl. I ponied her to the round pen from Springer, then worked her with the saddle and bridle for a little bit. She would follow me any where, and I just led her up to the mounting block. I laid across the saddle a few times from both sides--no reaction. I stood up in on stirrup, to see if she would react to me being over her. No problem. After I got that stuff, I untacked her and gave her twenty minutes to relax, roll and absorb all I had done. I went and talked to Christa about how she had done, and debated whether or not I should try to sit on her, or quit for the day with what I had. We decided that it would depend on how Spirit reacted when I tacked her up again. She was fine with the tack, fine with the leaning over her and the standing above her....and then fine with me on her back! I got on and off three times--twice from the left and once from the right. She stood without moving each time. It's obvious from the pictures that she was concerned with where I was and what I was doing--her ears are glued on me. I was able to touch her all over while on her back. I was able to put my leg on her without her going off bucking...she just stood there and her skin twitched a little bit. I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to make her *move* undersaddle--maybe have Christa lead her (but what if she blows up? I don't want Christa hurt) or...what? How else would I be able to make her move undersaddle? Oh well. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it--maybe tomorrow :-)
After I got on and off, I brought her water in the round pen and let her relax and roll. She hasn't been out in the sun in a couple weeks, and I think she enjoyed her outside time. I went and did some other work, and then came back to work on Spirit's feet. I practiced picking up and putting down her front feet, and she did pretty well. She has this weird tendancy to totally drop her shoulder when I pick up her foot. She doesn't drop the *weight* into my hand--it's more like she's preparing to bow. I think it's just because she's nervous and wondering what the h*ll I'm doing under her. When I brought the farrier over to demostrate this bizarre behavior, she picked up her foot easily and normally. (Of course) But at least that means she'll probably out grow the behavior.
To get her back to her pen from the round pen, Christa led Springer, and I led Spirit. It was kind of like ponying, but from the ground. She really knows him since he's my pony horse and has moved her several times. She did really well, never pulling back on the lead rope. She charged in fromt of me a little bit because she wanted to be right next to Springer, and right next to his shoulder. But, in all, a really good first step to her leading all by herself :-) |
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