Houston, we have a jog...

Art’s 2nd and 3rd ride was this last Friday and Saturday. I decided I wanted to do a back to back session on Art to see how he handled a little pressure. Of course, he was a knucklehead on Friday when he absolutely did not want me to mount him from the ground (something I hadn’t done yet). So I pushed him around the round pen a lap or six at a lope and tried again. Still wouldn’t stand, so I pulled the stool over to mount him that way (I was getting on one way or another). He then started to do the aggietwottle with the stool, so again he went around the pen, loping. He was huffing just a bit when I pulled him back in, pulled the stool over to him and hopped on before he had a chance to do something. I just didn’t want him exhausted and hot on a cold night. He then walked off just fine and was a really good boy as I proceeded to guide him around at the walk, turning and whoaing as we went. We did a couple of circles and then that was it – all done.

The next day he started off being worried about me mounting, so I asked Sherry to hold him while I mounted from the ground and couple of times. He settled in and we took off at a walk. He was being so good that I thought I would go ahead and ask for the jog. I clicked and bumped him with my legs a bit and he popped out right into a jog for me – just like that we were jogging, and boy was it nice. He really has some pretty gaits on him and they feel great in the saddle too. We came back down to the walk and tried it the other way – again no issues and right into a jog. He did break this way and I bumped him back into the jog.

After this Saturday session, Art got tied to the arena with the other 2 year olds to think about everything. It was here that I introduced Art to the snaffle, so he chewed on that for a bit too – LOL.

All in all, these were two very productive sessions and I’m pretty happy. I think he is coming along great and there is no need for me to work him under saddle more than two times a week this month. Maybe next month we’ll go to 3 days a week and see how he does mentally and physically.

Oh and I’m so tickled with his jog that I bought a really nice pleasure shirt and show pad off of Ebay this weekend. The shirt is black & green and the pad is black & white. Now I just need chaps and a nice hat and we’ll be set for some open shows in the summer (if Art and God be willing…)