Ahhhhhhh-D

I spent quite a bit of quality time with my previously naughty pony before getting in the saddle today. Last night and this morning before chores, we did some refresher work on bending to pressure. We repeated again after sacking out and saddling. I got in two well-timed elbow jabs in AhD's face as he tried his usual nibbling game on me during the girthing process. I kept up my "soft talk" during each jab, and it worked like a charm to stop the freshness but keep the happy attitude. I also spent an extra amount of time grooming him and fussing over him, and during this time I left the new bridle equipped with a full cheek twisted broken snaffle bit where he could examine it. He checked it out thoroughly. Instead of mounting by the barn door where it seemed slippery, I led him down the road to the trail, doing a bit of "gee" and "haw" work like I had done in the barn, to make sure he was good with the feel of the new bit. Seeing the amount of snow piled on the trail, I almost gave up instead of proceeding.

But as I stepped into the thigh-high snow drift to take a picture, AhD stepped right up to it. I thought, hmmm, maybe it isn't quite so deep further from the road, and took a couple more steps. AhD very happily followed me!

This was teamwork! I showed him I was willing to venture out into the deep snow, so it didn't bother him a bit this time!

I led him a ways on the trail and mounted. He stood like a perfect gentleman, no fidgiting, and then we headed off up the trail.

The stop-start zig-zag only lasted for two thumps on the rump with my crop. I kept an encouraging voice and showed no agitation whatsoever, and AhD moved off in a straight line up the trail with a decent forward walk, plowing through the snow.

Knowing the bit must have been a big change, I kept my hands as soft on his mouth as I could. I asked him for several unexpected whoas, turns, circles and horizontal gives. I took him on short alternate routes on the trail and avoided any place where we had scared up deer in the past because I didn't need to prove this point today; I proved it the day he had The Nasties.

What an enjoyable experience today! I purposely kept the ride short and even used the blue saddle blanket for good luck.

Here is an "after" picture of AhD and his bubblehead owner.

And here is AhD getting pats and hugs from my boy Ian and his best friend, which he richly deserved for not freaking out while they whizzed a football back and forth around him as I was untacking at the hitching post.