Ridin' ridin' ridin'

Oh man was yesterday busy!
Solomon got a bath, and Solomon got ridden, all in the same day. It was a very big day for him.
I rode him (with a friend walking alongside us, but with me holding the reins and all that) from one end of the property to the other! No spooking, no jumping, and no trying to run away with me this time, though he DID gaze at the pasture longingly as we rode past it... so much so that we actually went sort of diagonally down the road at that bit. What do they call that, lateral movement? Heh. Silly hoss. We'll work on that. But for now I am grateful because most of the time I rode him he actually STOPPED IMMEDIATELY when asked, amazing!
My friend asked him to canter after we switched off, and he did a tiny little crow hop. First time I have ever seen him do any such thing. He refused to canter and was really upset after that. Okay Solly, we don't have to run.
I've been thinking about it, and I think the saddle slipped back at some point during the ride, maybe when he gave that little buck. Hrm. I really really hope it does fit as well as it looks like it fits, because the people I bought it from won't take it back. Lame. I can't afford another saddle so it's this or bareback, unless I can manage to sell it. But I think perhaps I just need to learn to tack him up a little better. :)
Anyway, it really does, overall, feel like a switch has been flipped, and he has decided that maybe he doesn't mind being ridden after all.

Baths, though, are still Pure Evil.