A Very Nice Ride

With Belle's arrival, the finger-numbing cold, the soaking rains, and the Thanksgiving holiday, I've put Capri on the back burner in the last week.  Tonight, however, I carved out enough time to do more that just brush her and play with her; I saddled her up and hopped on for her fourth ride.  I started in the round pen, and she was great.  We went round and round at the walk, changed directions many times, enjoyed her huge, springy trot to the left and the right, backed up, and turned on the forehand both ways.  That could have been enough, but I knew she could do more, so we exited the round pen and I rode in the arena.  I didn't ask for anything too challenging, but she stepped out nicely and walked a straight line for two laps in each direction.  I kept her motivated to go past Belle's pen, and past the gate to her own paddock, and past the tie-up area, all with no problem.  I turned her around the barrels for a minute or two, then quit while I was ahead. 

Riding green horses is a lot of fun.  I use the lightest aids possible, and give Capri a chance to interpret my cues.  She gets it right most of the time, but on the occasion that I have to give a heavier aid and make my intent clear, I feel perfectly safe doing so.  Using lots of leg, bending her head around, tickling her butt with the end of my reins; none of that bothers her a bit.  Mounting and dismounting are effortless, and tonight I mounted without the block for the first time.  What a treat!

Belle continues to make small bits of progress.  Yesterday, I spent some quiet time with her in her pen, just slowly moving her around and talking to her.  When I left her, and was about 50 feet away from her, she whinnied to me.  I was surprised!  That was the first time she'd done that, so I approached her pen again and spent more time talking to her from outside, being careful to keep my posture non-threatening.  Today, she seriously considered taking alfalfa from my hand.  She's not quite brave enough yet, but perhaps soon she will be.  Perhaps tomorrow?