Team TUcker
Wow, frustrating day in many ways but I do feel like I persevered. The barn sour thing kind of sucks.

I took Tucker up front to mount and then I walked him through the desert behind the garage to the back area. I tried hard to keep his attention and release when he did what I wanted. We ended up trotting way too often.

I did that thing where we circled until he stopped a bunch of times.

I tried to keep his attention by directing his feet. One right, one back, one left, one hind. Turn fore, turn hind. He was pretty obsessed with getting his way but I kept going around the back area...through the shrubbery, over the logs, around the barrels...through the poles.

I finally decided to get him back to the home pen and work his butt off. We trotted and trotted and trotted. Turning and trotting and trotting. Especially trotting near the food bowl.

The dogs somehow were let out and they were running all over the pen. They come around the corner growling at each other and Tucker humped up. Tucker pulled it back together quickly but, geez, someone could get hurt here.

I tried to get Hubby to help me since someone needs to open the gate for Tucker and I to work in the pen and then walk out to relax. Then he needed to close the gate while I had Tucker work inside the home pen and then open the gate when I was ready to walk out. It sounds simple but apparently it is not.

I finally said we are done Hubby and just trotted Tucker around the pen some more. Then I asked for a sidepass. Some turns on the fore and hind. And a perfect dismount and I quit. I did leave Tucker tied up with his saddle on so he couldn't run over and start eating the moment I got off him.

The good news is I feel like I am staying on the horse through the circling and trotting and the little hump and side jigging. I rode for over an hour.

I might go out with my neighbor tomorrow. Not sure yet.
Believe it or not, I signed up for a trail trial clinic on Sunday. Usually Tucker is better once we trailer somewhere.