You get to see Chavez.

It started out as brushing Chavez, which led to saddling him which led to sitting on his back. Very, very briefly. He is so much feistier than Shelby, that I just knew she could do that too.

I brought out the same tack I had used with Chavez so it would smell like him and be familiar. She took to all of it very well. She got somewhat antsy as I was putting my hair back to tuck under my helmet, but I was awfully slow.

Out to the round pen. She wasn’t excited about standing still at the mounting block, so we worked on that awhile. Then I just lay across her back briefly, put my foot in the stirrup, etc. until I felt that she was comfortable with all that. So, I swung my leg over. She looked a bit nervous and swayed to the side, but didn’t take any steps or do anything naughty, so I got off quickly. I gave her lots of pets and told her how great she was.

I led her around and let her just relax and think about it. Then we went back to the mounting block to do it again. This time, when I was mounted, I moved around in the saddle to get her used to movement on top of her and to see if she would take a step if she got a little off balance. Well, she did take a step, several actually. All were backward and sideways. I’m not sure she ever did take an actual step forward. I stopped her and got off. That was enough.

We ended on a good note and I hand-grazed her in the lawn for about half an hour afterward. I want this small bit of work to be a good experience every time. Of course, then I had to ruin it by putting more Neo-poly-dex in her eye. She doesn’t like that a bit. I think I actually poked her in the eye with the tube. That can’t be helping anything.

She and Chavez are sharing a bale of hay for being so good today. Well, Shelby was quite a bit better than Chavez, but I pushed him pretty hard today. He’s been in training with the trainer for MONTHS. It’s time.

These pictures are of Chavez, not Shelby. I forgot to take any pictures of her. I didn’t want her standing around too long as I had worked her quite awhile. Just so we’re clear; I don’t think I’m a trainer. I enjoy doing things with my horses that I don’t think will ruin them for the real trainer. I have no visions of being the next Stacey Westfall.