Phase 2 Working through it

It’s only been a week, but I really feel like we should have made more progress by now. Spark still walks over me when being led, though my feet have been stepped on less than the first day. Her purple nose still occasionally would be set on my shoulder as we walked, which is very much not ideal. A sharp tug on the lead rope caused her to snort, sit back and when I turned to face her, the overly friendly mare whale eyed me and tried to continue taking hurried steps backwards. Digging my feet into the ground with as much strength as I could hold onto the led rope with did slow her down, snorting like a dragon and huffing wildly. Once she realized I was not letting go and she wasn’t getting away she paused and shook her head with her tail flick she walked back into my space. I didn’t want to spook her again but really needed to get her out of my personal space. Grabbing the lead near her chin I lightly pushed her head away from my body. Spark was less offended by this, though she did start tracking diagonally as she walked behind me. With a shake of my head we continued to the round pen. 

Getting through the gate was pretty simple today, an improvement over the past few days where the little mare tried to walk over me to get through the gate. Today she walked through fairly quietly and swung her back end around to keep eye contact with me as I pulled the gate closed behind us. We switched to a longer lead as it had become very obvious that she would not work while loose in the round pen. I walked towards the center of the round pen where the whip stayed next to the block. She had little reaction as I bent and grabbed the whip rolling it between my fingers, her ear flicked and she looked at me, more prepared to work than I had previously seen. I guess the routine was helping her associate the round pen with doing work. A cluck and a light swish of the tassel had her walking to the right. She kept a decent pace, but fought going to the left, so we stopped and she took a few steps into me and I rubbed her neck with the end of the whip, she licked her lips and took a few more steps. I put some pressure to the left and wiggled the whip near her right shoulder and she reluctantly began walking to the left. Getting her into a trot was pretty simple, a few more clucks and her gait smoothed into a trot. I imagined it would be a very easy ride. After a few laps I took the pressure off and she slowed and turned into me. I gave her a rub on the neck and sent her to the right to trot. 

We worked in the round pen for maybe an hour before it was time to go and wash off the sweaty mare. She walked much better on the way to the washing bay, getting treats as we walked. She stood calmly for everything but her face, she took a bite at the water before I got her to stop and be still again. Baths weren’t an everyday thing but getting rinsed down was very important on the 90+ days at the stables. As she dried she enjoyed the bright green grass I kept happy and healthy for this purpose. 

Once she was more dry than wet I took her out to the paddock with Storm, the scarred black mare whinnied at her friend and Spark wasted no time in responding. The white mare’s excitement got the better of her and she tried to pull me faster towards the gate and we had a replay of the earlier tug on the lead rope, but thankfully she only took a few steps back before realizing what happened and backing off a bit. I patted her neck and let her into the paddock. Spark and Storm took off at a run, kicking and farting, so happy to be back together as though they hadn’t been stalled right next to each other less than two hours ago. 

~~~~a few days later~~~~

Desensitization was going well, and Spark was taking well to having a saddle on, though I wasn’t sure it had ever been an issue. The spots trailing from below the saddle pad moved in an almost hypnotic way as the little mare happily trotted in a circle around the pen. She slowed when asked and I could only smile at the progress we were making. A short while later and both of us worked up a sweat, so it was off to the wash rack. The walk after working was, as usual, better than the walk there. No foot stepping to be had, not even a snuffle of a purple nose in my hair. I gave Spark a treat and we got sprayed off. A romp in the paddock with Storm later and the pair came right up to the gate for dinner time. My male partner and I walked the pair up to the barn and they nickered quietly to each other the whole time. It’s so nice that they became such quick friends. Storm didn’t always get along with other horses, and it seems that Spark doesn’t either. The white mare had a go at one of the geldings I had put her in the stall next to after she got out of Quarantine, the poor guy still flinched when she walked past. 

When I felt comfortable with how she was moving under the saddle, it was time to mount up and give it a go. The spotted mare side stepped away from the block a few times before I figured it was time to call I’m some help. Beau came in to hold the lead and she quieted down significantly. I took a deep breath to steady myself and put some weight in the stirrup, Spark started to step away and I lifted my weight off and she quieted again. We gave her a treat and started again, she stood more still this time and I added a small hop to the weight and when she stood for it we treated her again and let her walk away from the block. Petting was always welcomed by the mare and she pressed her head into my partner as he scratched her chin and neck. We brought her back around and this time I swung my leg over, she stayed still and only gave a small huff when I settled on her back. Another treat and I asked Beau to start walking and Spark followed along quietly, he gave a correction when she started walking over him and she, true to form, sat back and started tracking backwards. With no reins and only the saddle horn I did my best to stay on, until Beau let go of the lead and with the pressure suddenly off her face she gave a hop and reared up, sending me off her back and into the dirt. A startled yell left me and instead of bolting like I thought she would Spark paused and turned her head to look at me. The confused look on her face would have made me laugh if the air hadn’t been knocked out of me. The little white mare turned carefully and nosed me where I was starting to sit up from the tumble. I patted her nose and she stood quietly while my partner helped me stand up. I shook myself off and looked over the mare before sighing and walking her back over to the mounting block. She stood well as I got back on and instead of leading her I had Beau tie the lead rope back to the halter and used it as a rein. I allowed her to walk forward and we started around the round pen, with some light pressure I got her to turn and go to the other direction. After a lap each way we walked back to the mounting block and my partner held the lead as I carefully dismounted. The first day could have been worse, but we were definitely going to take the next day off.