Attempt 2

To continue the writing analogy sometimes attempt 2 looks nothing like attempt 1. Sometimes I make so many changes that the second draft is hardly recognizable. Sometimes the second draft is so bad that I throw it out. Sometimes I give up on the first draft and begin a new story.

It is a principle of life that there will be ups and downs. It is something I have come to expect, but oddly enough, I am still confused and discouraged when it happens. Our session yesterday really wasn't that bad. It just wasn't productive. But I'm being short-sighted. Gambler and I have come so far in the last month. One off day is not going to kill us. 

Gambler coming to meet us at the gate. I cannot wait until the footing gets better, his topline is looking sad.

"You're taking too long. I'm gonna stick my tongue out at you."

Yawning face.

He has all the yawnings.

Can't even keep his eyes open.

Kezi thinks Gambler should take his food more seriously.

The lake is now frozen(ish).

In the barn, I groomed Gambler (whose stomach was covered in melting ice and shavings) and picked out his feet. I think we've had a breakthrough in the foot area. Of course, I've said that before. Right now I am holding his feet up for quite some time. Once I'm done picking out the hoof I spend time pretending to clean it or knocking on it gently with the hoof pick or moving it around. He puts up a fuss, but I've stopped letting go. I think he will improve significantly in the next few weeks. Only time will tell. 

Then I put the bareback pad and bridle on Gambler. He now hardly reacts to the bareback pad at all. I think he'll step sideways sometimes or give a sharp huff of air, but that is so much better. He takes the bitless adaption of the bridle perfectly. He takes the bitful version without an issue as well. My favorite part is when I take off his halter and put the headstall on him. He isn't attached to the cross-ties and could wander the barn if he so chose. But he hasn't figured it out yet. 

Check out his handsome face.

I left the halter around his neck, but it wasn't attached to anything either.

I put the halter over the headstall so lead him and warm up with the familiar circling game.

We still can't use the arena part of the pasture as an arena due to the watering hole, so I searched for a place. I found an area where the snow wasn't icy or slushy. We did a little circling game and a tiny amount of ground driving, but none of us were feeling it. Gambler was a little spooky for who-knows-what-reason. Mom pulled some of the muscles in her arm. My back was out of place. Oh, and Gambler must have had something in his food or something because he randomly started coughing. He stopped and hasn't had an issue since, so I don't think he was sick or anything. It was just one of those off days that are part of life. I'm heading out again tomorrow, so we'll see what happens in attempt 3.