Gambler was such a little gentleman today. Remembering how he was when I got him, I can't help being amazed at all the little things he does. Before, I couldn't even groom Gambler in the cross-ties without him walking forward and freaking out. Now I can leave him in the cross-ties to get something or take pictures. It's the little things that really encourage me.
Gamby also stood to let me put the saddle on today. He didn't stand perfectly still, especially when I was tightening the cinch, but it's an improvement. The first time I tried to saddle him western without someone else holding him he spent thirty minutes trying to walk away.
Putting on the bell boots
Standing so nicely!
Of course, he has to bite something,
Still standing!
Once he had the saddle on he just wanted to go, go, go! I have no problem with letting him canter (I warmed him up before I put on the saddle), but I don't want him to get into the habit of running through my cues. We found a happy medium. I let him canter a few laps (only after I gave him the cue to canter) and then made him walk one or two calm, slow laps. Switch directions and repeat. The good news is that today we didn't have any legitimate bucking. He has a tendency of "jumping" into the canter, but he didn't once put his head between his front legs and buck. Of course, luck would have it that I don't have any pictures of him cantering, just walking and trotting nicely.
After he calmed down and seemed to accept the saddle I took it off and then we played with circles again, just so that he understood that cantering non-stop wasn't the way we are going to do things from now on. He was much calmer after I took the saddle off. Someday he will realize that the saddle perfectly safe.
Then to cool him off we played a little of the catching me game.
Finally we finished up horse chores. It was an absolutely beautiful day so my mom and I got some wonderful pictures.
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