This morning JJ and I got out at 5:30 on Patches and Precious. Now, Precious has been a troublesome horse from the start, and is the same one which threw me off several weeks back. She has been through some training, and it really has take root, however, JJ has been through some training too, and it has really helped out!
JJ was not really up to taking Precious out because she still has a bad reputation with him because of her tendency to try to rear up, and to kick. I told him to lunge her first. He did, and did a fair job of it, then got on her in the round pen, and worked her that way too. Meanwhile, I sat on Patches and kept him from eating, and kept him standing still, which he has not been good at before. Finally, JJ decided that he’d be okay going out on the trail, so we did.
We rode off towards the reservoir and Precious played JJ up a little as we got out of sight of Umber, but JJ knew what to do to get her head about her, and he did a fine job of it. We rode the two around the reservoir and over to Porter’s house (a friend of JJ’s) to see their new goats they have there. Oh yeah, I want a goat! There were a few times that both of the horses played us up, but we got them to cooperate, and carry on.
Finally we got them home again and walked them past the gates with little trouble, which is excellent, They earned some sweet oat to go along with their breakfast. This is only the second ride of the summer holiday, but so far, if things go on as they have started, we may get these horses trained and trail worthy sooner than we’d hoped. Of course, let’s see if it pans out, eh?