Riders up!! ;-)

We are wearing a saddle!!! Along with ground-driving well (now that I've finally found a couple of bits that fit her mouth correctly... had to buy them in Shelbyville!), tonight we added to Pixie's resume by adding "will wear saddle". If I had not been seeing it myself, I never would have believed how easily it went. She let me saddle her up like an old pro. I had expected at least a little bit of attitude, since she has developed into quite a little diva, but I could not have asked her to be any better. Unfortunately, I do not have a saddle with rings large enough to fit my long lines through them, so I attached a loose/stretchy pair of side reins to the saddle and off she went. I let her jog around in the arena for about fifteen minutes or so, and then I untied the stirrups and let them flop at her sides. Pixie handled it like a pro, even when her little yearling neighbor over the fence decided to try to take bites at her and her "back appendage" as she went by... I even acted like I was going to mount up and added weight to both stirrups--she was picture perfect.

She did NOT, however, want me to put the fly mask on... of course, it was most likely a new experience--probley NOT as many flies in NY!! But she quickly got over it and it became old news...

Wearing a surcingle and a bridle!!! :)

Pixie is officially back to wearing a backpad (surcingle) and a bridle! We have not yet combined the two--that's a project for this week-- but she is doing so well! She is a very smart little cookie, this Miss Pixie... And, something that I absolutely ADORE-She LOVES to work!! I'm trying my best to give her 'rein' enough to be her own horse without feeling trapped- and I think this approach has attributed alot to her great attitude. She is the first to come up to be caught now, and she gets jealous when anyone else gets work (to the point where she stands at the gate and paws out and nickers until you pay her attention!!). She's still figuring out lining to the left, but I figured out a two-person system that helped her figure out circles yesterday... Once Pixie catches on to something, she absolutely remembers it. When I put the backpad on her for the first time, she got in about three bucks and then stopped. I rewarded her, and thus far we have had no further bucking episodes or really even a foot out of place. Something Kiersten told me once though I have found to be very, very true-- if she does not understand what I am asking her, she shuts down. I have found that its best when she does this to simply stop, reassure her, and then begin again. So far, this seems to be working... Stay tuned, by next week we'll be long-lining/ground driving!! :)