I was invited on a trail ride but I wanted to do some easy work with Odin the Mustang to get him more comfortable under roofs, going in and out of the barn, which requires a squeeze through a stall and out the barn aisle. He tends to be reactive in those spaces so we take our time, rest, eat cookies, walk out, graze, repeat. He's doing better being under the roof at the pasture shelter and even getting pretty good about the lower roof to the barn.
Today I decided I'd set up some obstacles for Beege, ala the Bookends Farm post about learning to be brave. I also wanted to try working Odin first and then Beege to see if it reduced Beege's anxiety a bit. I can't really tell if it did but the main thing is that I got Odin's exercises in and out of the barn out of the way and then decided to ride him bareback in the arena.
I've ridden Odin bareback before and only once at this location. At Pacific Moon Equestrian Center, he was pretty relaxed in most places around the farm but here he hasn't had as much time to settle in plus the month of snow set us back in terms of work as well as losing his marbles whenever snow would slide off the barn roof. However, I thought I'd be able to tell when he'd be ready after doing a fair amount of ground work with him in the arena. He initially rushed near the shrubs at the east end of the arena and after I let him sniff them he was fine. He also had his head in the air looking at things but I got him to pay attention to me, put his head down and relax.
It seemed like it was the right time to get on. I asked him to sidle up to the mounting block, I got on and asked for a few steps forward. He took a few steps and stopped, which was fine with me as he's not wearing a saddle or bridle, just a halter and lead rope. We practiced steering, cue with outside leg, open inside leg, lead with rope if necessary. That was fine in both directions. He stopped when I asked. Then something caught his attention, head up in the air. Not sure what as he was fine when the car drove by on the road. I continued to ask for steering but he wanted to focus on the thing out yonder. And started bucking.
Odin hasn't bucked with me on him before, at least not enough that I noticed when I have him saddled. He's spooked and I've sat that but I don't recall bucking. Obviously he was frustrated with my instructions and he does sass a little when he'd prefer to focus his attention on something else. Off I went, landed in the soft arena footing. I'll be a little bruised but I was wearing my helmet and padded vest. Plus the ground was soft. He just stood there looking at me. So now he's focused on me. Success, I suppose. I brought him back to the mounting block. Got on and asked for a right turn, left turn, and whoa. Perfect. I got off.
I turned him loose in the paddock that leads up to his pasture so I could get a few things ready for Beege. Odin walked himself back up there and even went under the roof by himself. He's smart, that one.
Beege whinnied at me and stood at the gate waiting for his turn. I love his enthusiasm! We are on day 4 in Zone 1 of Bookend Farms method of being brave. Beege loves obstacles so I had him side pass over a pole on the ground. He does it easily right to left (from his point of view) but going left to right is harder for him so I broke it down one step front end, one step hind quarter. Then he got it!
The next exercise was weaving cones; easy. After that came the dreaded tarp. It was folded up in a small square so not very threatening. He sniffed it, snorted, sniffed it, mouthed it a little. All good signs. I wanted him to put a foot on it but it was too small and easy to avoid so whenever he even accidentally touched it with a hoof he was rewarded with a treat. And finally, target the flag stickin out of the cone. Again, very easy. On the way back through the course, I asked him to do figure 8s through the cones at the walk. Easy. And more side pass over the pole on the ground. Better. I let him go after that and asked him to walk with me at liberty up to his pasture. More than happy to oblige, even when I stopped and backed up.
Eventually I'd like to ride Beege a little and he might even be calmer and more confident than Odin right now but the arena is still two or three zones away. One zone at a time, we'll get there.