Get out the yardstick!

My (very) slow-and-steady work with Stella is reaping results. Oh, she is still wary, reactive, and energetic, but her trust is growing and her personality is emerging. She readily tunes into me now, trusts me more, and even initiated a little game of tug with some baling twine yesterday morning – a tiny-sounding event that felt HUGE. In fact, the fact that she engaged with me like that was even more thrilling than the milestone we reached on Sunday – Stella was backed!

Brian's Mothers Day gift to me was a mother/son horseback ride. We warmed up Oliver and Lance in the arena and then rode down our gravel road and back; a short ride, but Oliver's knees are pretty bad. I took some photos of my riding buddy, and then Rick took a couple when we returned.

Stella, always watching. I think horses can learn a lot this way!

I've mentioned to Brian several times that I'd appreciate his help with Stella; there are some things that need a 'spotter.' He was willing to spend some time helping me after our ride, so I saddled up Stella and had Brian hold her while I used the mounting block and laid her back from both sides and put weight in the stirrups, things I've done solo. Then I had him hold her at the side of the arena and I climbed up the panels so I could put a leg over the saddle for the first time. At that point Brian got concerned that if she reacted I could get hurt, and insisted we switch places. Even though I was itching to sit on my gorgeous girl, and Mothers Day seemed an auspicious date for the first time, I conceded that at 40 years younger, Brian was less likely to get hurt and agreed. Plus, she knows and trusts me more, so she might react less if I was at her head. Brian carefully settled into the saddle, and she stood like a rock. A tense rock, but a rock nonetheless! I had him do it from both sides, then praised her to high heaven and put her away. Brian suggested we do more but I didn't want to risk overfacing her; always end on a good note!

The road to this milestone has been paved with lots of conditioning in the stall (gently swinging and draping the lead rope all over Stella), work at the mounting block, ponying off Lance (with increasing stirrup length and more swinging of the lead rope), and of course, plenty of turnout and grooming.

(I can't get another video to load but you should be able to view it HERE.)

See those long stirrups? Sometimes they even clang against the metal panels!

I don't think 'admiring' does much for her training, but it sure adds to my pleasure!

I'm working on her modeling skills!

Here is video I shot yesterday with stirrups at riding length, swinging and bumping on a much calmer (not to mention sleeker and shinier) girl: