But today, after taking a student and her mother on a big trail ride and finding some daylight left at the end of the evening, I decided it was time for Indy's first saddling. The saddle blanket was a bit of a touchy subject for a day or two and honestly, I had dropped the subject for several weeks, focusing on other groundwork.
First we free lunged in the newly re-assembled round pen. Richard and I just put it back together from the two pens it created during Pax and Indy's isolation days. The grass had all grown back, so Indigo was unfocused and determined to eat and we weren't going to achieve any sort of join up, so I stepped out and grabbed the saddle blanket.. and then a junky camp saddle on a whim.
He was a little nervous about the blanket, and I tend to throw it around like a spaz. We walked through that, let him sniff at the saddle, and for some reason, he was not remotely afraid of it. A little worried that I was reaching over to bounce the stirrups on his off side, but decidedly alright with the big leather object. Obviously I cinched him in stages, but that didn't bother him at all, either, even when I started to get brave and consider the possibility of backing him. Sent him around the pen again with the stirrups down and flopping at his sides, no issues.. Picked up his hind end a little when I came after him with the stock whip. He is rather difficult to motivate to move.
Brought him back into me, bopped the stirrups around a bit, threw my helmet on and bounced in the left and right stirrup.. Started to get ballsy, stood all the way up, down, up down, up down. I tied the long lead into a set of reins and makeshift mecate. My heart was pounding when I started to swing my foot over his hindquarters; scratched his bum with my boot heel, guided it over, and then we were sitting. He flicked an ear back and then stood stock still. I swung off, back on, off again, back on.. Started crying, realized I was being stupid to get on him for the first time (this is also the first time I've been the first person on board a horse; I've been the second many a time, but a newbie to virgin backs.) Texted Richard, told him to get to the barn quick, mounted back up, turned his head to either foot, and then Richard showed up and I was still crying stupidly and happily.
After scolding me for not having anybody present and snapping a crappy phone photo, Richard lead him around a bit with me on board and we called it a day.
A good day.
As for Pax.. 17 months is an awkward stage, but she is still sweet as punch. Last week appeared to be her first heat cycle, which would be on the early side of things if we have guessed her age correctly, but not totally unusual. Her mood didn't seem to change much at all.. We've only seen her mean ears once in almost a year of ownership. Her mane and tail are both disasters at the minute; she rubs her mane and rubbed almost an entire braid out of it while I had it plaited up from the heat, and her tail is.. Gross. Alas. Someday her sweet face will be matched with passable confirmation. ;)
I don't think I ever posted about my bad trailering experience two weeks ago, and I don't think this is the time to get into it. But, namely: Teach your horses to load without your assistance climbing in. Take the time to reteach others' horses who do not understand that concept. And always, especially with young horses, open the #)*#$# emergency hatch at the front of your trailer. At one point of the afternoon I became pinned beneath Indigo striking furiously to get out of the front of the trailer, his rope around my chest, and Snickers violently shaking her head in full set-back mode from her tied position at the back of the trailer. I was stuck for several long minutes, screaming "help," and eventually chose to crawl behind Snickers' back hooves to reach safety. It was entirely my fault and entirely stupid.
But, all's well that ends well. Here's one shot of Indy and Pax during some trailer work we did a week or so ago. Cute pon-pons!
