Day 3

When I got to the barn today Casey and CiCi were standing together. Yippee!!! Quite a change from her chasing him away.

She looks up when she hears me call her. She greets me at the gate. She is nuzzling me looking for treats. I give her one and also give Casey one. Peace.

I played with CiCi in the indoor. Played stick to me and get in sync with my walking and stopping. Also keeping a respectful distance and not jamming into me. She is amazing in how quick she picks things up. Morning hay was being tossed into paddocks and she could see this. I did plan on riding her so after about 20 minutes I put her back in her paddock. And she and Casey were eating the hay side by side! Another Yippee!!

When Rebekah showed up I got CiCi again and took her into the barn for grooming and tacking up. Had to go slow with raising the saddle pad and putting it on her back. New for me to be aware of what is going on. When I put the saddle on I thought of Pat's comment that is it like a hug. Slowly positioned myself for the wind up and slowly placed it on her back with nary a notice by her. Thanks Pat! The hug was perfect.

I mounted her and before I could bend her she was off walking. Walked her into the outside ring. Told Rebekah had to start here before going out on the trails. I bent her to a stop, took a bit of circling before she understood. She has a faster, shorter stride than I am used to. We walked and walked, and then I followed Rebekah on Patrick to see how she would do. And after a few minutes, I got comfortable with her stride and she was walking quieter and I said lets head out!

CiCi snorts when she has to deal with something new. Her way of expressing herself. As we headed out she is snorting. She was walking up Patrick’s butt. Found out how much she hates contact with the bit. Head goes up and there is head tossing. But not really exaggerated, just annoyed. She pretty quickly settled down, I settled down and the snorting stopped. She was willing to walk over rocks, through mud, over downed trees, and we even threw in some bushwacking. Nothing seemed to phase her.

I have borrowed a western bridle from the sellers, and I put my own rope ones on, so the feel for me was familiar, not those silly leather reins LOL.

She has so many holes in her training. Or lack there of. But she is good hearted and snorting seems to be all she does at new things.

It is clear that the guy who owed her (before he died of natural causes) just tacked her up, got on, and rode with no contact. Let her do what she wanted. She is not mean or malicious, just really clueless. As Linda said, a project. But this project I can do.