Risa packed up and May went out

May went out.
5/7/2010. Ride 17. Out on the trail. We loped yesterday, so, time for more trail work today.  I took her to the arena and got on.  We walked and trotted a little bit in the arena and she felt pretty solid, so we headed up the drive and across the street where the little hidden trail heads up the rocky slope--the one we rode the other day.  Today she did not wish to go through the branches that "guard" the trail. I told her she had to and used a little leg, so she agreed. 

Where do my feet go? She cannot quite figure out her feet on the slope and the rocks so she has trouble maintaining an even pace up the hill, but that is one reason to ride this trail.  Up in the mountains we will see this sort of thing and it will be nice when she is able to confidently negotiate the rocks, while staying on the trail with her rider on top (as opposed to off the cliff!).  This is hard work both physically and mentally and she was tense!

Not spooky though! Despite being tense she did not go spooky at any boogey men. She did have some trouble crossing some little ditches--the sand was a different color! We took some alternate routes with lesser drop offs (not that any of them were very far--1 foot max) so she didn't have to step down as far.  She offered (requested? was on her own trajectory?) to trot a few times, but I asked her to walk. We came home and ended with the gate!

Burro again. Then, I took her to Mark Bohannon's, and turned her loose in the arena with Risa while I worked the burro, with Penny. Penny showed good interest and Mark was happy with her.  Risa tracked the burro across the fence every time we came by and really wanted to get after him (must be the cutting blood).  May was kind of indifferent.  However, she trailered much better than last time (not much pawing) and tied well at the trailer while I was getting things in order.

Rode Tabooli in the arena because I was lazy. I brought him to the trailer (which has newly adjusted brakes--thanks Sandia Trailer!) to saddle him.  He is comfortable there.  If I had taken him over to the round pen, I would have had to tie up all the girls, so since he was so quiet on 5/6, I figured I'd give him a go in the arena.

He moved a little when I got on but then held still. He was more forward and I didn't have to use my "git along over and under rope" much. We walked and trotted and did lots of turning. He was quiet most of the time but got a little more animated and had to talk to the girls (who were far away) at one point. I didn't get him in big trouble because I still don't have a good feel for how far I can push him, but I did speak to him sternly! He quit. He can feel very tense, but so far (and like a relative of his I worked with last year) he doesn't seem to translate the tense into BLOW. Still holding judgement back on that though. He is backing a few soft steps on request and is getting the idea to move off my leg sideways.

To finish, we approached the gate (with the usual first time gate phobia but less drama than May.) Opened the gate and he backed away from the string.  I dropped it. We went through and then closed it! 



Risa Packed Up.
5/8/2010 Back Country Horseman Pecos Chapter Packing Clinic.
Karen and Daryle and I took Penny and Risa to the BCH packing clinic.  Penny was the baby sitter and Risa was the "subject".  They spent the morning munching grass out of hay bags and we spend the morning listening to Tom, Mary and Steve explain some in's and out's of packing. Awesome! We practiced our box hitch on the iron mule (a barrel with legs and a bung hole so you can tell which end is the "head"...)

Packing up! After lunch we went out and put all the gear on Risa.  She was wearing a decker pack saddle with a 40 inch pad felt pad plus a fleece pad, a breast collar, britchin, all in dark leather.  In addition, to complete her ensemble, she wore a canvas half-breed and two small white canvas panniers, buckled together.  She did not wear the lash cinch today.  (Maybe tomorrow).  She did have to disrobe for a pack tree fitting check.  The tree was a good fit. All of the gear was lent to us by Peter, Tabooli's owner. Now we just have to practice putting it all on!