Steady progress

Yesterday and today I am just taking the time it takes. Ground work, saddle her up, more ground work. I am staying with a bit of driving from Zone 3 with saddle and bridle. And then hurry up and wait once mounted. I find all this is allowing me to stay confident and focused. Mounted it is nice to have the horn right there to push on for passenger lessons.

My friends come to the barn, groom their horses, go out for a short trail ride, come back and I'm still playing on the ground.

Cici is standing quietly at the mounting block. Even when I get on it. And she stands quietly once I am in the saddle. I wait how ever long it takes for a chew before I ask her to walk. Boy is she thinking! I am feeling confident she will stop so I am asking for longer walks in the indoor before I'll lift the reins. She is now stopping on the lift. Want to figure out how to differentiate between lifting to correct course and lifting for a stop.

Lateral flexion is getting better and better. Still will get the nostril after a release. And today she took to walking forward with her nose on the ground. But since this was Jeepers' favorite evasion of the bit I am very comfortable with riding a horse whose nose is plowing a furrow in the ground as they walk LOL. Glad that Cici is still trying different things. Shows she is thinking about what we are doing.

I took the rope cinch off before I saddled her. Found tossing the saddle up on Cici to be much easier without the cinch. Guess I keep saddling that way until I become completely comfortable with the saddle. Yippee!