Another hurdle cleared

Well our first session on the arena was as interesting as I expected it to be. He stamped and backed up when I got on, so as soon as I had the jacket clipped on, I walked him off. He was tense, walking short, and clearly expecting pain. On every turn he took a deep breath and seemed to hold it until we had safely got round the corner. On halts he braced his back upwards and then seemed surprised that nothing hurt.

Finally, after ten minutes, he let it go and started to relax. I was going to stop at ten minutes but I decided that we would gain more if I carried on for another few minutes now that he had realised that it did not hurt.  He ambled around long and low, which is just what we want at the moment.

To finish, I took him into the far corner and asked him if he would like to trot to the gate, which he did, very quietly and cautiously. I repeated that, with both of us less cautious on the second run. Then I  turned him away from the gate intending to come back in a circle and stop and get off. But as I turned away, he trotted again, so I did an S shape to see if he would turn both ways easily, and he did, so then I stopped and got off.

The tension was expected. To trot today was not. Huge progress, mainly because of what a generous natured horse he is.

Radar and I went for a hack. Suffice it to say that it was a 50 minute hack that took nearly two hours, because each time I tried to walk him home he was ricking my back in his rush to get there. I have to resolve this, because he is really hurting me lately. I am thinking of putting him in a hackamore and seeing what he does, because he just won't take a steady contact on a bit when he's trying to get home quicker than I want, and the rhythm all goes to pot.

I am so looking forward to riding Ace again. Saturday probably because I am working tomorrow.

Cl