Day 7

We did first rides yesterday. Mine went very well and Rosie was pretty calm about the whole thing. We were each flagging our horses on the fence and one at a time he'd come by and pick up our lead ropes and then pony us around in the center of the round pen while creating forward motion with bend and disengaging the hinds. I forgot my night latch which was kind of a big deal, in fact Eric said maybe if I fell off and bumped my head I'd remember why I should have brought my night latch. Very encouraging words during a first ride.

Before the ride I played with Rosie doing more squeeze games, asking her to back between barrels, go between me and the fence, jump the small white barrels, and started her on the figure-8 pattern around the barrels. She has great drive and draw - I love playing with her! I'm hoping by the end of class I will have eliminated most of her discomfort with the squeeze game. I think that's her biggest hold up - she seems to be doing really great with everything else.

After doing our ground work and saddling up everyone turned their horses loose in the arena together and Eric flagged them around in a big group encouraging them to stay together on a circle and through changes of direction. I'm not really sure the purpose of this exercise. He told a couple people who asked about it at the other end of the arena but I couldn't hear what he said. Tried to ask after the exercise but he was too busy - so I guess I'll just find out tomorrow. Seemed to at least get the extra bucks and kicks out of them anyway I suppose.

Just to note, Rosie is in heat really strongly right now. And when I went to catch her yesterday I got her all the way down to gate (I had to go and get her since she didn't meet me at the fence like normal) and the gray horse who'd been following us to the gate all of a sudden attacked her. She flew backwards, I let go, and he chased her around and around the pasture for a bit. When he finally stopped she realized she was dragging my 12' line and panicked and began running around again. This really set her mood for the day was just a little edgier than normal. Spooked at some dogs running around and pulled back (she was tied when they ran through the barn) and just seemed spicy in class.