Since our great success at Canyonlands, Onyx has sort of bubbled up to the surface. It reminded me of what it is I love about riding, and the fire was re-lit for me to really get to working with Onyx so I'd have two horses to ride.
The day after returning from Canyonlands I began working with Onyx again. We always do a bit of groundwork first, just to make sure he's focusing. I've been playing musical bits with him since he was started in February, and have finally found one he likes--an eggbutt frenchlink snaffle with a copper roller in the middle. He no longer spends the majority of his time trying to spit this bit out, so I think we've found a winner.
Yesterday, I trailered little Onyx out to meet Amanda and her youngster, and we did our first baby trail ride since the one we attempted in March (? or April? I was sure I blogged about it but can't find the story, so I guess not. I bet it was April during my Internship From Hell...). Suffice it to say, the trail ride in March was ok (I only say OK because no one got hurt), but Onyx wasn't doing very well with the bit. He played with it constantly, and had the attention span of an ADD knat at best. I got off and walked fairly often, and when I mounted, he would walk off and basically didn't pay any attention to me at all. After we returned to the barn from said trail ride in March, I was suddenly overcome with the potential of what could have happened, which scared me silly.
Anyways, I digress. Yesterday we went out for our first trail ride since that attempt earlier this year. I figured if the situation got sticky, I could just get off and walk for a bit. Well I ended up riding a completely different horse. He stood while being mounted (and dismounted!), he focused, he didn't play with the bit, he led, he followed, he went on his own trails--basically, he was brilliant. He was so funny, too, because he was MUCH more focused when I was riding--when I led him up or down tricky bits of trail, he was all over the place trying to eat and walking off the trail, even stumbling a few times because he wasn't paying attention to the footing. But under saddle, he was careful and deliberate, and listened to my suggestions. He was excellent!
And now for a picture montage:
August 2009
September, 2009 (Aka; Two Legs, One Hole)
October, 2009
Early November, 2009
December, 2009
March, 2010
March, 2010
June, 2010
October, 2010
October, 2010
2 comments:
Ony Pony is acting like a grownup! It's funny some horses go through a squeaky voice adolescent stage wherein they make bad decisions forever...and then one day they have James Earl Jones Voices, and do adult things.
WOW, what a difference a year makes! He has done so much growing and your photos are a great documentation of it! I bet he has changed a lot since those last photos, too. He is a nice fellow!
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