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."