Big day . . .

Today I came home with a brand new saddle for Bucky, had a great ride and then worked Haley on the longe in the new saddle. She was being so very good, I figured what the heck, time to sit on this mare!

Should have brought a mounting block home from the tack shop too! We have spent the past week getting used to standing next to the gate or bucket while I pet her all over and mess with the stirrups, no big deal.

I'm waiting on Ali to come this weekend for her official "first ride". But she was good today while I got on and off her.

Who has dapples?!

While I am busy working on Bucky's lameness, Haley also continues her training. She has made great progress in the past few weeks, she is now longing - walk, trot, halt both directions very nicely, leading well, yielding to halter pressure, and has become much more attentive.

I still primarily have to longe her on a line because she will jump out of my little "round"(its actually square) pen, when she's had enough. The fence is only about 4 feet tall and it has never occurred to the other horses to leap out, but Haley figured this out in about 5 minutes. She is a terrific jumper.

We are working on desensitization now and she literally yawned as I flapped a saddle blanket all over her body. The flag took all of 5 minutes to get over. So today I saddled her up. This mare has obviously been ridden at some point, she knows to hold her breath when the girth is put on!

So after assuring her I was NOT going to girth her too tighly I showed her what being saddled is all about - relaxing and eating grass of course! She's almost ready for her "first" ride, how exciting!

Look at her dapples! Now if we could just add a tail . . . her papers from AMHA also arrived last week.