Ride #3

Finally my husband was able to help me get the horse out on the trails under saddle again. I am  insecure about taking him out and riding alone in the woods - probably because I keep thinking of those words "4 months under saddle." And I know by that they meant mostly in an arena. Oh, and the words, "He ran off with two people before you, he runs away when worried."

I'd practiced aligning him with stumps this week and laying across his back, and eventually got him holding still for it.

Mag was loose but followed me to the gate keenly - apparently he wanted to go somewhere with me.

Then we had to wait about 10 minutes for my husband to get ready and we'd literally just walked out of the paddock and Mag was incredibly frustrated that we had just started our fun, only to stop before even reaching the house. He tried biting his reins and touching me gently with his nose repeatedly but what could I do, I was waiting too. Then J finally came out but wanted to mail a letter so went back in the house, then went in his office and got a stamp, and then finally we could go! We walked to the mailbox and put the letter in, Mag knows the mail routine. (Outgoing mail in Germany must be taken to a neighborhood box.)

Once in the woods, getting on was no problem from a bench but he had a hump in his back and was quite up so I appreciated that my husband had the line, even though he doesn't really do anything with it: )

We walked back and forth on this mostly level trail and did some stopping and although Mag tossed his head, swung his hind end around anxiously, and tried evasive backing, he gave up those things pretty quickly with both of us scolding him and putting him back in place. Getting him to flex his nose to my stirrup was pretty difficult because he was so fidgety and frustrated.

But after a few minutes he was able to ho from my verbal and seat cue, I just barely went to the reins and it was a very nice feeling that he was listening to my body, understanding the exercise.

I counted to 20 once as we stood there. He's finally getting that too. J said, "You got to the end of 'good boy'!"

I asked my man to unclip the lead but I stayed close, I'm not going to wander off yet! Mag blew through his nose several times (relaxing us both) and did not cough today.

J wanted me to end our ride at the shepherd's house, between the dogs on chains and a barbed wire fence, and I explained that it will be quite some time before I trust any horse to ride by there. Mag's not spooky, but that place spooked him yesterday pretty badly (He didn't run me over, he hasn't ...yet.) And then he stuck his face in their rain barrel and DRANK! How funny!

I got pretty close to that house before jumping off, praising Mag, and loosening the girth. J gave him a treat. He'd also given him one on a particularly good standing still attempt. Then he found the rain barrel again and drank again - I sure hope they don't mind. Their two ponies watched us but they never greet us or leave their food, greedy little things.

We walked home and I was feeling satisfied, especially when a neighbor popped out of his garage pushing a wheeled vehicle of some kind. Mag saw him, but didn't scoot or spook. He's so good at dealing with neighborhood challenges - the traffic, the gardeners, loose dogs.

I think I'd like to ask my sister in law to come out and help me - perhaps we can take turns riding and leading or just walking alongside.