If I can get permission, I'll post a video!
It was all bareback with the new french link snaffle, which while it is thinner, it has two breaks in it instead of one, so it isn't any harsher. Solomon did try briefly to go to the pasture, and he did toss his head and try various bit avoidance strategies, but she didn't ask him to do anything at all hard.
He backed up under saddle! A whole bunch! YAY! Not every time, but many times, yes. He also knows kinda how to go sideways. Actually he probably will remember more as he gets more rides under his girth. UNDER HIS GIRTH HAW HAW YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE?
Anyway, We went all the way across the grounds to the BIG BIG outside arena near the Scary Deer Grass, and she worked him in there until the sun went down. He was certainly not overworked or worked harshly, and while he clearly needs more time with a rider who can give him clear direction, but I think there was a lot of progress! Yay!
Oh he is not happy about vacation being over though. When we let him loose in the pasture, right after hand-currying his back, he stood for the bridle coming off but then ran away! Heh.
Oh but when I went to get him, I must tell you about that.
Today for some reason as I was walking up the path a couple of giant industrial dump trucks were driving through the pasture with a couple of loads of dirt to dump. All the other horses kind of ran away, but Solomon had a flake of hay and come hell or high water he was eating that hay. So these giant trucks ended up having to go around him a little bit. Hah!
Deer in tall grass: SCARY!
Giant semi-sized dump trucks: NOT SCARY!
When he saw me he came over, and today as a surprise happy thing he got a peppermint! Friend from the old barn told me that he loves them, and wow does he! Hehe, he makes a great face when he eats one too.
So hopefully tomorrow (or the day after, I have a lore discussion thing tomorrow) he will still come to me. But he forgave the other day, so he should forgive today. Today was positive, he just didn't get away with any of his tricks. Which is good. :} Now when we finally get a SADDLE that fits, we'll be able to do more.
I'm kind of contemplating eventual dressage training. It isn't that I'm utterly into it, it's that a lot of people at this barn do it, and there are good trainers with good reputations, but no one wants to lease their horses for lessons. Solomon has the brains for it, and he is feeling great these days it seems. It's more a question of his willingness. For now he needs to get better at the basics, and then he'll be good for teaching people the basics, I think.
What I'm thinking is that I might either see if I can make a deal with a trainer to train him a bit and then in return get to use him for lessons (under their careful supervision) a certain number of hours a week, for a certain amount of time. That, or see about paying for him to get some training, and then charging for him to be used per hour for lessons with a respectable trainer, etc etc. Either of these would require, I think, that I get him liability insurance for sure, and before I can do this I also need to get him his own saddle that fits him. Heh.
But I'm thinking about doing this as a long-term solution for the high cost of boarding him at a place that takes proper care of him and has proper facilities for him to have a happy and healthy life. Times are tough, and in November everyone's board is being raised by $20.
The BO was very sweet to me today. I was worried she was still mad at me about leaving a chair out, but then I am always worried people are mad at me. I'd been using a Trader Joe's bag to carry my grooming supplies in, and I always was digging around in it looking for stuff. She gave me a gift! A grooming supply holder that hangs on the bars of a pipe corral! Ooh yay! As soon as I clean it out it'll be ready, and I'll have all my grooming stuff nice and organized. I also won't forget the bag in his paddock or in the walkway, which will be nice. If I forget this box, it'll just rest on his paddock bar, which is totally okay.
Today I also hung up a fish net for fishing hay out of his water barrel, since he always dumps at least half a flake in there whilst digging around the bottom of his hay bucket for flowers and tasty sweet leaves.
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