Saddled!

Well things have been going really well around here with Cabrito. Even though the wind has been relentlessly blowing, he handles it so well and isn't too bothered. He's been wearing the bareback pad around, I've picked up all 4 of his feet and have started using brushes and curry combs to groom him. Yesterday was the first day he went in the indoor arena, and probably the first time he's ever been in any sort of indoor building! He did so well, wasn't spooky, and even got to admire himself in the mirrors. I've been working on catching and haltering him in his pen - he seems to have a different mentality in there than when he's in the round pen. Something along the lines of "this is my space and you're not catching me". So, as soon as that shapes up I'm going to try and move him to a regular horse pen so he can be around other horses more.

This morning I decided to try saddling him - even in the horrendous wind gusts! He did great, no problems with the pad or the saddle, or having the cinch tightened. I led him forward a couple of steps and let him feel it. Then I tightened the cinch up some more and turned him loose. To my amazement, he didn't hump up or buck or anything. Just went walking and trotting around the round pen. I stopped him and turned him back kind of fast into the fence and sent him the other way and he still didn't even buck. What a great first experience for him!! I slapped the seat with my hands and moved the stirrups and fenders back and forth, left him in the round pen for 20 minutes while I cleaned his pen, unsaddled him and put him away.

Next on the agenda is some ground driving, ponying and hopefully this friday working on some obstacles. Then next week I can hopefully get a ride in on him!