Arena Time Again

I am so grateful to have access to a big indoor barn this time of year. Tammy and I were the only ones there today. When it's wet and muddy outside, indoor arena riding is great, but I will be ready for a trail ride before long!

Our barn is split into two arenas--one large one, and then a smaller area with the calf pens. Several rodeo "Dodge" banners are tied to the railing; one banner was laying on the ground so we had fun introducing it to the horses. Tammy's horse was very brave for her. Keno, the only "mature" horse at 16 years old was the biggest chicken. He came around, but he's so suspicious that it took a while. He did eventually walk across it, walk relaxed (relatively!) beside me while I dragged it along behind me, and he even tolerated it up on his back. Flyboy walked, stomped, pawed it to death just fine. He walked the length of it like a bridge--no problem. He was a little skittish about me dragging it along beside us as we walked around the arena, but settled quicker than Keno did. He was not happy about it on his back. I did a lot of "approach and retreat" with it and when he finally stood still for me to rub his shoulders with it a couple of times we quit. We'll play with it again tomorrow.

When I finally got around to riding, Flyboy was excellent again--very soft and happy. After ten minutes or so I reached down to check my girth and it was so loose I could side my fist under it! This treeless saddle really stays where you put it! I tightened it up and carried on. We had a bit of a breakthrough today--or I should say, I did. My inside leg became responsible for keeping him from falling out on his outside shoulder. That's probably not worded well, but keeping my inside leg on and my outside leg off kept him softer (and I think I was stepping into that stirrup more) and he quit popping that shoulder. I should be able to explain this better and it probably should have been obvious to me in the first place, but regardless, I felt like it was a big moment. The only sad thing nobody was there to see how well he was doing! It felt good.

By the time I was loading up my boys another trailer showed up. It was someone I didn't know, but they had a cute bay mustang gelding. They were working on trailer loading. I on the other hand, (I am not being smug here!) just loaded up and went home. Fly loaded, trailered, and unloaded quite easily both ways. He was very relaxed and again did not want to leave his hay net. Now I have had hay in the trailer for him nearly every time I have put him in it for the last three months. Usually he would ignore it or snatch at it anxiously. He was always too worried to eat. Maybe being able to see through the open panel is helping! I hope so! I'll give him a few more days to trailer with Keno, then I'll have to try another solo trip and see how he does.

I was having too much fun and forgot to take photos--hopefully I'll get some tomorrow!