Today I went out after work to see Sinwaan. It was the first time I was able to get out there since our vacation east. It was a HOT day today (I would guess 90), I had to turn on the a/c in the pickup on the drive over there. The heat worked in my favor, he was feeling a bit lazy.
I had to walk clear out to the far pasture to get him today (they had the geldings out there in pasture 3 and 4) and then lead him back through two empty pastures and the four goats. Now what I found really amusing is the one billy goat Oberhasli with horns (Hans) was out with the geldings and his little French Alpine sidekick (Andre). They followed us clear back to the main gate. When I got to the main gate the girl goat (Petunia) was laying down blocking it. I tried to cluck at her and use my leadrope to tap her to ask her to move and she would not budge. Then along comes Hans and WHAM slammed into her! She got up right quick then and I was able to open the gate and get Sinwaan out. I said thank you billy goat and gave him a carrot through the fence. He is kind of a fun goat.
First I took him to the round pen and did our usual...asking him for the walk and waiting for him to slow down and give it to me. It didn't take very long today.Once he got it he did awesome, we did some gait changes and a number of stops and he was very quick about stopping when I asked.
I took him back around the barn and tied him to the hitching post and groomed him and decided to tack him up. I brought out my saddle and he threw his head up a little when he saw it but I let him look it over and then he was cool. He seems so much bigger to me than Dee but his girth is about the same size, I had to cinch him up all the way on both ends so I think I will need a shorter girth here pretty soon. He stood very quiet for me and lowered his head and took the bit nicely and waited for me to get his forelock all arranged and I was quite impressed with his overall attitude.
I took him back to the round pen as there is a mounting block in the center. I got him next to it and put my foot in the stirrup and he swung his rear away so I told him WOAH and moved the mounting block and then he didn't move at all and I got on and sat there and asked him to walk on and he did. I decided I didn't like the running martingale so after a few laps around the round pen I dismounted and took them off. Then I mounted up again, this time he didn't move a hair and we rode on out of the round pen and into the neighboring (empty) pasture.
I am sure he was being lazy due to the heat and having already worked about 20 min in the round pen prior to me getting on, but he was so mellow and well behaved. We walked all over that pasture, doing circles, figure 8s, stopping, backing up. Then I was feeling ready for some trotting. So we did a little of that, the same, some circles, figure 8s, straight from one end to the other with a half circle at the end, trying to keep him thinking. We did some slow trotting and then some medium trotting but I had to really kiss at him and use my legs to keep him moving at that speed. I reckon that will change in cooler weather and once we are out on a real trail.
So...things went VERY well today, I am just elated. Even with just that little bit of posting I was starting to feel it in my thighs so we ended on a good note. I am planning on going back out for a trail ride Sunday morning about 8 am. Kittee was there when I got done, I talked to her a little and she says she can ride with me so that is the plan :)
Will keep you all updated as things progress. Hoping to make it to a LD ride in Sept. We'll see.....
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