I don't post much :)

The trotting didn't go super smooth but, hey, that is what practice is for. He kept getting going pretty fast so I kept saying easy buddy. We did do some good trotting so it wasn't all bad. 

Did walk, trot, walk, trot, walk, whoa. Took a break and did some walking through the shrubbery in the big pen using reins only when necessary.

Went back in to do a little more trotting and after we managed a few times of doing good in each direction, we quit.

We walked around the big pen a bit. I asked for a couple of fancy turns. A few fancy diagonal walks. A few stop and stand there. Threw in a back.

We rode out of the big pen, up to the front driveway, did a bit of trotting up there that went so smooth!

Back to his home pen where I asked for just a bit of a trot after we CLOSED THE GATE on horseback!

After just a short perfect trot from the two of us, I got off and gave him a good rub down

I must be absolutely goofy because I got off and was snuggling his face and I was crying because we did such a nice ride and finished with some perfect trotting. He was so sweet like "I got you, girl."

The trainer had to cancel due to a horse emergency.

I went out by myself. Went pretty good. Did a little trotting.

Went by lots of dogs behind fences and other horses in pens and goats and such.

I decided to make the block since I thought I could go down the sandy side areas instead of the road base but we did some road base. His feet may not be happy about that. We shall see.

We got on the desert trail and he was impatient but did walk for me. We went by a scary sheet of metal.

I will see how his feet are doing tomorrow and then maybe trot in his home pen where the footing is really good. Not sure yet.

I guess at least I didn't chicken out and not ride today :)

Magnificent day. 2 1/2 hours of riding. Karen V. came by and we rode to Karen A.'s house.

Sir Richard was wonderful but those boots really did aggravate him. I have to try another brand. He has a rub spot on the back of his heel and I won't put those boots back on him again.

Other than that, the afternoon went really well. Karen A. hadn't met us yet so we went across the desert trail to her house. We met Karen A and Brownie the Wonderhorse. Turned and went to Karen A's obstacle course.

We did a lot of work on a lead line. We stepped down into the dry 6x6 foot pool. We went over black squares of rubber. We went over a rubber strip with white lines on it. We stepped over some poles. We went through pool noodles as a "gate" We went across a bridge. We went down into the ditch to let me mount and stepped up the steep bank to get out of there.

Then we did some riding through some of the obstacles we had done on the lead line.

Richard was fine with the big American flag on a stick. He got it rubbed all over him.

He did not particularly like the pool noodles.

We went across the bridge...lead line only today.

Richard took the lead on the way home and he rated his speed nicely for me. He listened well with all the twists and turns on the desert trail home.

We got to the sand road and I said "Surprise, we aren't turning towards home." I rode him a little ways up. Then, I did turn him around. My friend and I rode side by side at an even pace back to my place.

He wanted to walk fast on the sand road home but one rein slowed him down and he did great.

I rode him to the home pen today. That was a first for me.

What a fabulous wonderful sunny day with Sir Richard. And my new friend, Karen V. and my old friend Karen A.

Hey, I just remembered. I asked my horse to move sideways to hand out my camera to Karen V. I really didn't give it much thought. Just picked up the reins, moved my foot to his side and asked the horse to do it.

Sir Richard moved over sideways. Is that cool or what? First, that I didn't have to think real hard and second that Richard said "Okay, I can do that for you."

Had a fun day yesterday. I met a new horse friend. She got one of my horse magazines by accident and got a hold of me through facebook.

Had her over for coffee. She said she would love to use my round pen. I thought that would be a great way to see how she handles her horse.

She trailered hoer horse over and I found out she got spun off awhile back so her confidence is a little low but she handled her horse nicely. Her horse had lovely manners.

We desensitized on the ground with another friend on an ATV. Both horses did fine. She got on her horse and my friend with the ATV drove around and desensitized to the ATV while in the saddle.

We walked across the street in a halter and looked at the barking dogs behind the fence. Both horses did quite well once again.

She lives close by. I told her I am almost ready to go around the neighborhood on Richard with a friend. So in a week or two we may just do that.

Good

It sometimes feels so satisfying and wonderful to be outside, hanging out with my critters. Sir Richard felt the need to connect with me this evening as I sat on the mounting block in his pen...enjoying the sun finally coming out however briefly.

He listened to the sounds around the neighborhood. I told him "I hear that." or "What are you listening to now?" He just stood with me and then let his head down and relaxed next to me. I put one hand on his shoulder and enjoyed the fact that a big whole critter like Richard would want to hang out with little ol' me.

I feel like we are learning to listen to one another. I am finding out that he really is a good guy. He is figuring out that I am a good and strong person for him. We can feel safe with one another...if that makes any sense. He in his horse way and me in my human way.

On the theme of attention.

It is raining like the dickens out there this morning.

I thought I would share the progress we made yesterday which is actually a culmination of the last few weeks of us working together.

The farrier came by and we got Pony out of the big pen out back. That left Richard alone. Richard doesn't "do" alone very well. While the farrier worked on Pony [the farrier is pretty slow and likes to stop to talk a lot], I made sure I was there for Richard.

When he got agitated, I walked in and asked him to focus on me. And Richard did focus on me. That's a real confidence builder for both of us.

Later in the day, I took him out to the round pen. Pony was right next to us about 40 feet away.

I've been saying that Richard and I just need to work together and we will be a team. He will have confidence in me and stop looking around so much.

That happened yesterday. Earlier in the week I had made sure that I got big when needed on backing and a couple of other small issues. of course, I take my responsibility seriously to make sure that the horse knows what I want when I do get big. Yesterday, I made sure to tell him "I'm over here, buddy" when he looked away..by gently pulling his head straight.

I had that horse's attention :)

That certainly is a confidence booster for me. I am on the right track here.

And, even though Richard can get pretty worked up over his buddies not being there, he can and does calm down when I go in to work with him. He isn't super buddy sour but this could turn into buddy sour. Using CJ techniques, I think we are nipping this in the bud. When I am around, he is focusing on me and not his buddies.

Sir Richard is a wonderful horse and I am so happy to have him.

I found this saddle on Craigslist and the guy gave me a great deal. It is a similar size to my current saddle in all respects but I do believe the gullet is just a tad taller [which I wanted].

The seat is a 16 but closer to 15 1/2 with padding...same as my old one.

It has the bucking roll.

It has tie strings.

It has D-rings for the breast collar.

My current saddle has none of that.

The sheepskin underneath might be a little better than the sheepskin on my current saddle.

The saddle is older for sure but I think the leather is still serviceable.

It came with a complete new front and back cinch.

And it is not super heavy.

Oh boy, we did it. We rode out alone.

First, we rode around the driveway making sure our turns were good. And our "Whoa's". And we stood for a couple of minutes at a time to make sure our patience was good.

I already had the big gate open just in case I got brave enough to go outside the fence.

I headed him out there and then around the corner to the sand road. I stopped at the corner to let him look around and see the new world. The corner dogs were not out in the yard so we didn't get to see them.

Then, up the road. I said "Hi, Craig" but I guess Craig wasn't out there. We went past his flapping laundry on the line. No problem but the shiny puddle was a slight issue.

We went by some trash on the road and a flapping supermarket bag. We went by several more puddles. By the big puddles at the end of the line, he seemed just fine with puddles.

I started asking him to keep his head straight by jiggling one rein until his head came back forwards. I stopped him several times and pointed out different things to him. That's Karen's house she has two horses. That's Mike and Delores house. They have two horses, as well.

On our way back the wind came up some but I sang "Hey, shoulda been a cowboy. Shoulda learned to rope and ride. Singing those campfire songs...yeah, shoulda been a cowboy."

He did pretty good. He seemed to want to start to trot a couple of times on the way home but I said "Walk" "don't get to going too fast buddy."

I asked him to stay on the road and not be looking around so much. I had good hands on the reins, I think.

.I actually had some semblance of relaxation so that was good. We rode about one mile total. Half mile up and half mile back.

I stopped him at the corner again on the way home. Then we turned towards the driveway and I had him go past the entrance before turning him to go in.

I had him go around the driveway, then sat for a couple of minutes before getting off him. I took his bridle off, put on the halter and off we went out the gate on foot.

I let him see the houses with dogs and the haunted house going the other way on our road.

We got back in, I punched the button for the gate to close. That startled him but I walked him in and then let him "push" the gate closed by walking him towards it as it was closing.

I tied him up to the patience pole and got his saddle off, brushed him, cleaned his feet. He's standing out there right now waiting for me to come out.

Coming home doesn't mean instant hay.

Sir Richard and his owner pull it together today.

We did great. I got home and sat in the home pen, drank my afternoon cup of coffee and waited for Richard to come see me. Of course, I was irresistible and after about 10 minutes of consideration, he came to where I was sitting.

I put his halter on him and then left him standing there while I ran in for the new camera. He was happy I came back out :)

We did some little things like back and then we went out to the round pen. I asked him to walk and to trot off line. It didn't take him long to get his mind in the game.

I snapped his lead line back on.

I got up on the rail of the round pen and asked him to come underneath me. He did that willingly. Again, directing him from a distance.

I asked for a turn on the fore on each side and a few turn hind.

Then out to the log section where I asked him to move out on his own to step over on of the big logs. Did that in both directions. Then we did the fan of skinny logs, again asking him to move out on his own while I stood in one spot and directed him around. His ears were perky. Hey, this is something new.

I took his halter off but he followed me all the way to the gate of the big pen so I put his halter back on and took him up front for the platform. He backed off hesitantly but he did manage to do it.

We took a nice break while I played with the other two horses, then, I said "Why not put his saddle on him and ask him to step up to the mounting block." He did great. I mounted and dismounted a couple of times with some relaxing in the saddle for several minutes.

After my final dismount, I asked Richard to walk out [lounge] with the saddle on. He was a bit stickier but I encouraged and he did do it both ways.

A lovely couple of hours spent in my horse world. Felt good.

The adventures of Sir Richard.

Not training related...or maybe it is :)

Well, it was a winter wonderland this morning. Fortunately most of it has melted away this afternoon.

I took Sir Richard out to the big pen out back this morning. I left him there and went to pony's home pen, picked up the Pony's halter and then I heard a commotion. Here comes Richard rounding the corner at a lope.

He pranced around showing off for the little horses poking at them over their fencing. He tried to find an escape route. Total dead end both ways buddy.

I grabbed a halter and lead rope and we went back and forth a few times. When he stopped and looked at me, I took the pressure off by turning sideways. He decided to stop and let me come up to him.

I put him back in his home pen and then took Pony out to the big pen. Richard was pacing and calling when I got back. I let him fuss for awhile while I sat on the bench by his pen.

Then I heard a little voice say "Be the leader he needs."

I got his halter on and asked him gently to back, step up, turn left, turn right, get out on the lead and circle. Once I had his attention, I walked him out to the big pen with one stop in the middle to ask him to step out and turn to the right and turn to the left and back and lead by my side.

On the way back in the afternoon we wandered around, he got a few mouthfuls of dried grass, we stepped over a few logs and back to the home pen. I asked him to line up at the mounting block. The fourth time he got darn close to what I wanted. I petted him and told him what a good boy he was. I quit right there.

Okay, Sir Richard and the rest of you probably thought this is a silly idea but.....

My trainer said, "Just tack him up, get on him and sit for 10 minutes. Get off and your done." It teaches him, patience and it doesn't take a lot of your time. and you get used to each other.

So, I brought Richard in from the big pen, cleaned his feet, brushed him, got the saddle on him. Left him in the rope halter.

Now, he is still learning to come up to the mounting block. I went ahead and brought the mounting block to him. He stood like a rock for mounting. Yay!

We sat for 10 minutes. He looked back at me from both sides of his face. I patted his butt, adjusted my feet in the stirrups, rubbed on his neck.

I relaxed. I needed that.

I got off onto the mounting block, took his tack off and we did a bit of brushing and we were done.

Richard thought that was the shortest ride he's ever been on. :)

I got some apple slices out. I am teaching the horses to come when I whistle.

I finally got Sir Richard to the new trainer's place so she could look him over and give us a lesson together.

He did really good with all the dogs running around.

He was just a bit worried about the ATV but the guy was really nice and didn't run up on the horse.  When he stopped and turned it off.  Then he said "Nice mind."   "Good looking horse."  "Like his bone."

I asked him if Richard could come see the ATV.  Richard sniffed it and then wanted to meet the guy on it.

The trainer looked Richard over.  She said she loved his "Jewish nose".   He has rather Roman profile.  He also has a furrow down the center of his face.  She thinks there must be some draft in him somewhere.

Good legs, nice feet, maybe just a little long in the back.  She thinks he is a gorgeous horse :)  Of course, so do I.  A nice set of withers to keep that saddle on.

Mentally, the horse has a good mind, she told me.  He is a bit of a couch potato.  "Yes, he is and I don't mind that a bit."  She thinks he keeps an eye out for things kind of in the middle distance and that nothing will sneak up on us.

[However, I do not feel that this horse is looking for trouble.  Just likes to keep an eye on things.  I am making sure I don't create a lookey loo horse by bringing his attention back to me and by being a good leader.]

She thinks he has a nice steady walk and will make a great trail horse...not too fast, not too slow.

She thinks what I think...this horse is a gem. 

After all this, I got on and we sat for several minutes.  Then, we started walking circles.  I have a problem keeping my hands closed around the reins instead of holding them like a teacup :)  I will have to make sure I keep working on that.

I had to pull Richard's head towards the center.  He wanted to look to the outside.  There were lots of things to look at like other horses, the neighbors and dogs across the street, the husband feeding their critters.  I had to make sure I did the release as soon as he turned his head a bit to the inside.  CJ members will understand this well.

Here is the tricky part.  Keep some light contact on the outside rein but pull the inside rein until his head turns a bit towards the center and then release the pressure on the inside rein!  Go ahead and keep light contact on the outside rein.

Richard, quite naturally, felt a bit confused here and there.  We are learning about one another.

The trainer said, "Never let this horse be ridden by someone else.  He is customizing to you.  He is a wonderful horse."  She said, "I could ride him to show you what he can do, but I won't. He is learning about you."

Here is where it got super fun.  I am walking the horse around in a circle.  She says, "Maintain that light contact on the outside, loose rein on the inside.  Now put your inside foot on his side."  Richard bent around my foot like it was magic while we were circling.

For backing, "Shorten the reins, pick them up like you are going forward, now ask him to back."  Now ask him to back more than one step so pressure, release, pressure, release, pressure, release.

So, it is a difficult thing to manage reins.  "Shorten your reins."  "Give out the reins about an inch."  "Tighten the outside rein until you feel the contact lightly.  Leave the inside rein loose."

Then, you add in each foot separately.  So, you end up having your feet and your hands all doing different things.  Kind of cool when it all comes together. 

She also said she wishes I would not  ride out with the neighbor yet.  Keep coming to take lessons.  She would really like that and she thinks that we can go far with me and this horse.  Give the two of us a chance to learn before we go out.  I like that she is patient and wants us to do good.  And she believes in me.  I told her I hoped to be doing good by the end of summer.  Maybe be ready for a trail trial [for fun, of course].  She said "You will be doing great by then."

Basically, we did mounting, standing, walk in a circle in both directions, turn, back.

He did good at standing.  He likes to park out with one foot cocked in the back so you end up sitting on a crooked platform.  I think he took a nap while we were standing and talking in the middle of the ride.

There was a bit of testing by Sir Richard.  He said "I don't want to turn my head towards the center."  I said, "Perfectly reasonable request.  I am hanging in there."  Released the pressure as soon as I got some action.

I so love this horse and I am so glad I found him  We had such a successful day and it wasn't scary at all.  He wants to do good and he wasn't frustrated when things got a little confusing.  He looked content when we finished up.

I did hand out an apple slice after we negotiated the gate out of the arena.

He loaded up like a dream going to and from the trainer's.  He was fine in the parking lot for my restroom break in town.  And he was fine when I stopped for gas.

When we got home, I asked him to step out of the trailer backwards since it is safer and better.  He teetered on the edge on his tippy toes.  I said "You can do this, Richard."  He finally stepped down and I told him he was a good boy.  He said, "Yeah, now let me finish backing out of here." 

First Ride

Sir Richard goes for a ride...and so do I.

We trailered to my trainers house. Really, I didn't want to be nervous but I was so nervous. The wind was trying to come up and I have never loaded this horse by myself before. I haven't driven my rig in quite some time. The trainer has like 10 dogs running around there [all really nice and good with the horses].

Plus, I was going to get on that horse and actually ride today :)

I brushed Richard and cleaned his feet. I saddled him. Left him out back tied up while I finalized a couple of things. Loaded him up and took off.

I let him turn around and exit the trailer facing front.

First of all, the trainer and her hubby thought he was a great looking horse. Hubby said "He has a great mind."

The hubby was on an ATV. He turned it off and I asked him if Richard could come look at it. "Sure." Richard sniffed the ATV.

Really, all I really wanted to do today was ride at a walk. The trainer could tell that just from looking at me. :) I just want to get to know Richard and we don't really know anything about him.

He did amazingly well especially when you consider he hasn't been ridden in a couple of years.

We worked on me holding the reins properly and walking in a circle. Hard to explain but there was work to do on my part. Richard tested me a bit but it was mild.

I did pretty good. I finally managed to loosen up a little. I didn't hang on the reins. I got the idea of tipping his nose and then letting off the pressure.

We did circles, stood patiently, backed, turned.

My saddle seems to fit well so that is great.

I actually have every confidence in Sir Richard but I do feel we need to take the time to get to know each other and I am learning new skills at the same time.

I love this horse. He and I are going to be a great team.

I loaded him up and carefully drove home. I asked him to back out of the trailer. He teetered on the edge hanging on by his toes but finally stepped down. So good.

Sir Richard and I had a nice day.

I got home about 11:30 and took him out to the big pen before he could start pacing the fence line in his home pen.

On our way out there I stopped at the round pen. First time asking him to do a little something in there. I didn't do a lot. I asked him to walk but he soon decided he needed to trot. I asked him to turn but he turned into the fence so I cut him off and tried it again in another circle. He cut the circle so I shooed him out to the fence several times. He did decide to stay on the fence after that.

I stopped him, turned to the side and let him come in. We did a few little things after that and I put him in the big pen with Pony.

The wind was ripping about 3pm so I went out and got Richard who did fine in the wind. Then Pony who did better than I thought he would.

I messed around with Richard in his pen. He drooled water all over my pants legs and boots. We got a selfie and I talked him into playing with the jolly ball a little.

I brought Sir Richard home last Thursday. We arrived at 3:30 pm.

I finished the platform today. I got this platform built in only 3 days :) A new record for our area. We have to drive pretty far to get lumber.

Today, we practiced getting on the platform. We stepped up and walked over it and got off. We stepped up and stopped. We backed off.

We did that from both directions.

He avoided the platform a couple of times. I told him he was cheating! I backed him up and we did it again.

Chilly and windy and might snow a little but I do want to work with him again later. The wind had him a little bit edgy but I asked him to stay focused along the way to and from the front area. We did great.

We can maybe work a little bit in his home pen on a few groundwork exercises if he looks worried about being in his pen. Worst comes to worst and he gets upset and starts pacing, I'll take him out to the big pen even if it is a blizzard :)

I want him to feel good about backing off the trailer if we go tomorrow. It will be cold so we might not go to the trainer tomorrow. We will see.

Did I mention I love this horse? Yes, snuzzles and hugs and I smelled deeply of the horse scent on his neck.

Day 6 - Sir Richard

Ignore if you are tired of us. The first couple of weeks with a horse means a lot is happening. We are learning about one another.

I went out to get Sir Richard. I thought, why not tie him up to the blocker tie ring while I run in to get his eye ointment. He might have a bit of an eye infection in the corner of his eye. He stood like a gentleman the whole time.

I thought, "Hey, there's enough time to brush him." He likes the stiff brush. See, we are getting to know each other. He also likes to get brushed on the underside of his neck.

He moved when I went to get the hair brush so I backed him right back into place. I brushed his tail. Then I moved on to brushing out his mane. He looked so relaxed by the time I did his bangs. We did some soft kisses :)on his big hairy nose and the soft fuzz on the side of his muzzle.

I walked him out of the pen, asking him to back for me to open the gate. I made a left turn at the driveway and we went out to the front area. He sniffed the new platform I am building. We stood out there looking at all the new things and we both sighed and relaxed.

On the way to the back pen, I turned and we did the log step overs. Four fairly big logs that he stepped over without touching a single log!

Then, single line follow on the single track I built.

Stop, back between two greasewood shrubs. Step up. mule :) Back, step up. Back, step up. I only had to get big once for him to pay attention on the back. Still a lot of hanging in there on the step up.

Did head down. Had to hang in there. We got it.

Lead with respect. Missed the stop, back up.

I could feel the peace of horse and owner. The bond that we are growing. The letting go of fear on my part [yes, I have fear]. It felt good and right and lovely.

All three horses are out back in the big pen today. We will have to bring them in after dark but I think we will be fine.

Day 5

Having a new horse is daunting in some ways.

Sir Richard had me worried due to his working himself up into a totally sweaty frenzy and making a deep rut where he was pacing in his home pen.

I put him out in the big back pen and put Pony out with him yesterday.

Today I decided to go ahead and put both Pony and Wiseguy the mini out with him today. They are in the little guys pen and his own big guy pen for the night.

Richard did so much better today. Not a sign of sweat. No pacing that I could see. Thank goodness since it is barely above freezing and last night was 8 degrees. The last thing I need is a sweaty horse.

I worked with Richard on the way to and from the back big pen. I mostly had him back, come forward, back, come forward. I did do a few hind and a few front. I bumped him lightly if he lost focus and started lookey looing.

When I stopped and he didn't stop right away, I backed him a few steps.

I made sure I didn't nag and went straight from a small ask on the back to "Hey, back up" since he does know what I am asking for at this point.

I rewarded the small tries at "forward" since he seems a bit like a mule on that coming back to me :) I think he is starting to understand that too.

I love my new horse, Sir Richard.

It's cold today so I threw him some hay at the butt crack of dawn. I asked him to back off to throw it in the feeder. He turned away.

I came in a few minutes later with a bucket of water to top off the big heated water bucket.

He hustled over to take a look. "oh, nothing to see here...it's just water," he says.

I reached out and gave him some scratches. He leaned in close and we exchanged breaths.

He turned to go back to his feeder so I told him "Off you go then." with a small wave of my hand.

Day Three with Sir Richard.

It's all about getting to know one another today and I enjoyed it immensely...and so did Richard .

I got the new bridle put together. I think it fit him well although we are on the last notch.

What the heck, why not throw the saddle on while I am messing around?

I tried a different blanket under the saddle. I think he liked the first one better.

I adjusted the girth of the saddle and he stood like a rock for the whole process. Such a good boy.

I removed his gear. He liked the bit so much he didn't want to give it back to me. Made me laugh. I snapped a pic.

He put his head into the halter willingly.

I did Task One of backing with a shake of the lead. By the time we were done he had a pretty good idea of what was expected. I asked him to come to me and that was a bit harder for him. He got the idea. Back, forward, back, forward. We are learning to work together.

I finished up with a stiff brushing to clean up his sweaty dirty self. Then a soft brush for the legs and knees and butt. Cleaned his feet. Put some hoof conditioner on the hooves.

I left his halter on while I ran into the house for a soft wet cloth to wipe his dirty face and eyes with.

When I went back out, he thought he was done and didn't want to come to me right away so I sent him around the pen. Unfortunately, his stall door was open so he finally dashed in there. Had to chuckle but I snapped on the lead, walked him out and wiped off his face. "Feels good, doesn't it, buddy?"

A lovely day of getting to know each other. A few kisses, a lot of "good job buddy", a few instances of hanging in there. A good time for all.

The wind is ripping so no lesson but I get to go on Friday. I will have some practice at backing up the trailer by then and I need it!

Photo of him all decked out and photo of him holding onto the bit.

What I know he knows

Day Two

What I know so far about my new horse, Sir Richard.

He knows what "Step" means.

He likes being brushed.

He will back off to get his food although I did have to pick up a stick for a longer reach towards him this morning. I am not making the mistake of allowing the horse to stand there being pushy when I want to throw hay.

He puts his nose right into the halter.

"Head down"

"Back"

"Give me your head" from the saddle.

Surprisingly, not super comfortable with me on the mounting block working him from above. Not terrible but not sure of it.

By the way, I told my old horse trainer that I have been taking a few lessons with a different horse trainer because the new trainer has different horses to ride on. I thought it was time to change it up a bit. I thought I might get a few more lessons from the new gal. I softened up the change by making sure she knows how impressed the new trainer is with what I have learned. She has said "Who ever has trained you has done good."

I fixed up his pen. The gate used to go in front of that tree and now it goes behind it meaning a much straighter line to open the gate from the horse. I put a 16' gate in as a panel so his pen is bigger too.

He tried to colic today or maybe he actually did. I went out and he looked incredibly sweaty and he had dirt all over him. I watched for a bit and decided to give him a little alfalfa. He ate it fine. I ran out and bought some wheat bran and made a call to the vet. She said the poopy poop means the event is probably over. Looks like he is fine now.

I didn't get to work with him today due to his stomach issues but he did help me realign and add panels. So cute.

Unfortunately no photo of Sir Richard in his saddle!

Day One

He got groomed and boy did he need it. He had some dreadlocks :)

Cleaned his feet.

Got a pad and a saddle on him.

Stood ground tied like a rock!

Had him walk, trot and lope with the saddle on.

Just had a halter and a lead rope.

Got on him from the mounting block but we will have to work on that. I moved it next to him. I petted him from above.

I got on him.

Asked him to give me his head several times on each side.

Asked him to walk.

We did a few circles in each direction.

You could tell he was trying but we don't communicate as a team yet and I don't expect us to.

He stood like a rock for the dismount.

I think he loved the brushing and the attention.

We will keep getting to know each other over the next few days.

This is Sir Richard. We had an uneventful trip home.

He loaded up easily. The old owner was very sad to see him leave.

Unloading did not go super smooth though not too bad. He started to turn around so I told him to get off me. He backed and got one foot off and then came back into the trailer where I told him to get off me. "Back" "Back" "Back" He awkwardly got both feet off the back of the trailer then his front feet and we backed a couple more steps. "What a good boy."

We stood for a couple of minutes letting him take it all in.

A calm walk to the back area although he was sniffing the whole time. I said hi to the dogs that were behind the fence. No spooking just a lot of snuffling the air.

I got him into his new pen and admired him for a couple of minutes while he looked at the water and the goats and his new horse friends.

I threw some hay and he was content to eat while I took a few photos. He was really good about me coming around behind him.

He is now busy sniffing his entire pen to see what his new world is all about and back to eating :)

We will get to know each other better over the next few days and I can see I need to build a platform so he can get comfortable backing of a ledge.

I'll take him out and let him see more of the yard. We will start on task one tomorrow.

Looking at horses.

I just bought a leg bag for my gear for a horse I haven't met yet because we are going to go on so many solo rides :)

I am going to meet the horse today. Not sure if I will ride. I had an experienced rider who sent me videos of the horse being ridden bareback and in a saddle. I am not sure I will know if my saddle fits and I want the horse to have a good time when I first get on him.

I'm thinking walk him around, pick up his feet, brush him.

I have an appointment for a vet to do a coggins and a PPE. We will discuss whether xrays are necessary at that time. I am fortunate that a horse vet is available to come out.

It will take until next week to get the coggins test results.

I am going to ask for a trial period. I want my instructor to meet him and see how he does.

Wish me luck. I've talked to the owner, the gal that had her friend ride and took videos. I have asked a ton of questions. Now, it is time to go meet the horse in person.

It's like a first date. Will it be like, love or will we look at each other and say "What was I thinking?" I met my husband through a newspaper ad. We talked for two hours the first time we met in person at a coffee shop. Maybe there is a chance that this horse and I will have a long conversation today.

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