Thirteenth Ride!!

Blurry, but I like this one.

Today was warm, temp somewhere around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It was windy and the air held the promise of a storm (it hasn't arrived yet, but I'm hoping it will tonight. I love thunderstorms). Usually, when I use the word "windy" in a post it is a sure indicator that Gambler was a spastic disaster. Today, however, that was not the case!

When we arrived at the barn, I turned off the electric fence and sectioned off the arena area while Gambler and Kezi were still in the pasture. Then I brought Gambler into the cross-ties to groom him. As herd-bound as he is, he has gotten better about it since Kezi's surgery. I can bring him into the barn without her and he isn't anxious at all. To bring him in I haltered him and opened the barn door. Gambler walked straight into his stall and I followed behind, shutting the door to keep Kezi out. 

He was dirty, although not as dirty as he was on Sunday. Sweetheart came to the barn again. She isn't sure what to think of Gambler, but he adores her. I'm beginning to wonder if she has a calming effect on him. 

I expected Gambler to be spooky when I took him out into the arena because of the wind, but he was calm and cuddly. He led perfectly from both sides. Even though he could see Sweetheart, he was calm and focused (his usual response to other animals is to ignore me and try to make friends with them). He circled walk, trot, and canter without a hitch.

Since he was behaving so well I decided to ride. He is getting more and more comfortable under saddle. Today he was much more balanced than before. I still have Mom holding the longe line but I'm relying less and less on her for backup. 

Gambler did buck for the first time under saddle today. It wasn't anything serious and I stayed on without a problem. In fact, I thought he just reared up a little in the front. I didn't know he actually bucked until Mom (who was watching from the ground) told me. I didn't reprimand him other than pushing him forward into a walk because I think I know why he bucked. If I am right, it was a good reason.  

I've been riding Gambler in a bareback pad because the western saddle doesn't seem to fit him anymore. There is a close contact saddle that does fit him, but the last time he wore it was the wind tunnel day. He bucked quite a bit (due to the wind/saddle combination I think) so I need to stick the saddle on him and then put him through his paces and work through any habitual bucking. I know that riding bareback is hard on a horse's back. I also know that it is best to post the trot on a green horse because it is easier on his back. Since I can't post without stirrups, I really need to get to business and start using the saddle. 

Today when we were trotting Gambler didn't know what to think of the feeling of a rider bouncing on his back. The sitting trot is my specialty, but I haven't been riding regularly and Gambler is green, so I don't blame him at all for being put off. He didn't act out in fear or anger, he politely told me "I'm not okay with this right now." I've seen Gambler buck when saddled or playing in the pasture. If he wanted to send me flying he could have. I'm not anxious or put off by the buck at all. He sent me a message and I received it. He won't like the solution . . . but it's about time he got over his fear of saddles. 

I finished on a good note (lateral flexion) and then played at liberty. We didn't do anything fancy, because it has been a long time and Gambler was really hungry, but I led him from both sides at liberty. 

Backing

Leading at liberty on his "bad" side.