Monday, July 19, 2010

Day two introducing the saddle.

Today we reviewed are leading skills. As I suspected with these mustangs they pick up the next day better then where they were the day before. We led successfully to round pen where we perused teaching my mustang to circle on line. He seemed glad to be able to move his feet and what a beautiful floaty trot he has. Still he struggles with have something around his head. He went floating around the pen tossing and twisting his head so ticked he could not get it off! We introduced backing and he took to that readily. He would do anything to get me to quit shaking that halter. Now that I have good control of his feet, it is time to introduce a new toy.... the saddle.

What's another toy? I got the saddle out and tossed the pad over rubbing him with it head to toe. Within a few minutes his feet started to grow roots and we were making progress. I grabbed my sacrificial saddle and let my mustang look it over, chew on it, paw it... or whatever he felt like. Once they were acquainted I tossed it over him from both sides then let it rest on his back. I tightened the girth then asked him to yield the hind quarters around- no reaction! Well i went for broke and asked him to go in a circle, he took a few steps then went to crow hopping. Nothing to serious, just testing to see if the saddle could come off. To add another element to the saddle once he got comfortable with it, I brought out my boat buoys and hung one from either side of the saddle to simulate legs. That went over as expected, he bowed up several more times as I worked him in the arena. By the end we were both hot and tired and sweaty...the perfect opportunity to introduce the hose. Once he got passed the sound of the running hose, the water was a welcomed sensation.

So we are still debating on a name for my mustang and I am currently leaning towards Eclipse and the yearling being named Starlight...what do you think/

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