Zeek and I spent five hours at the stables today. I spent over four of the hours with Gwin. I missed her so much. She was happy to see me and her new prizes from the horse show this weekend. Her Clinton Anderson rope bridal fits her well and does just what I'd hoped it to in scaling back to minimum.
First we did some ground work. Some lunging and backing. She trotted and even galloped a little. Then I groomed her and attached her short lunge to her rope harness for reigns. Again, minimal. Then I did a little work at the fence line with draping, and got right on her, bareback.
After being at the fair and seeing what those riders and their horses were capable of, I let go of a lot of fear and doubt. I had no reservations about driving Gwin with just an under the chin, bit-less harnessing for the first time - bareback to top it all off... I was feeling brave. And thankfully, it worked in my favor. All went better than I could have expected.
Gwen in super awesome at being steered by my legs only. I did very little with my hands. If it weren't for having to hold her back now and then from running to her safety zone nearest to her herd, I could have rode her with no reigns at all. I picked the reigns up very little, and that made me so proud and hopeful of her.
I spent a lot of time just laying on her, touching her all over from her back, singing to her...
She still hates being away from her herd. I look forward to the day when she is relaxed and comfortable enough to just have a good time. Every time I directed her to a new side she would pull her chin in and drop her head.
She was NOT happy about moving in any direction away from where she wanted to be. She even tried to bite me. Quite a few times. But I just smacked her, or swung my booted foot at her lips as she came for me. Sass. :) It was kind of sweet because as heated as she would get with me, and as much as I had to smack her and back her up, she left me sit on her bareback without a single sass move to get me off of her. I couldn't help but laugh about it all.
Anyway, Zeek and I enjoyed a peaceful lunch on a huge haystack in the sun outside at noon. We even got in the path of a tiny "tornado". It was scary, exciting and fun all at once. It was a really wonderful day, and I'm looking forward to more more more!!!
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