I’m in the Saddle!

Tonight I mounted Xena for the first time, using her saddle! I don’t have a photo for posterity or her blog, so I guess you’ll just have to trust me. :)

Xena has been wearing her saddle for a month in our groundwork sessions, and now seems very comfortable with the stirrups flapping at the jog and lope. Tacking up is now the norm for us, and she allows me to fully tighten the cinch, in 3 or 4 stages.

Stepping up

Last week I began stepping up into one stirrup. Over several days this progressed to putting my right hip in the saddle, stroking her neck, and finally asking her to turn on the forehand by just one step — I’m building towards our emergency stop. Each time I dismounted, we took a break. I wanted to give her time to think, and to make this experience as different as possible from past professional trainers.

The process of mounting Xena has been very slow, and also very challenging. I have to remind myself that there’s no timeline for riding, because it takes a lot of discipline to keep my promise of ‘baby steps’. It’s too easy to rush past something that seems minor, but which is actually a big threshold for her.

Mounting

Tonight I went to the barn dressed to ride, with the promise of letting Xena determine what we’d work on. We had the arena to ourselves, and Xena seemed confident and connected to me. So after a 7 Games warm-up, I attached the reins to her halter, hooked them over the saddle horn, and we began circling the arena at liberty. She stayed at my side as we ran, walked, stopped and backed up, completely in sync and connected only by our bond of trust and love — I know it sounds corny, but that’s just how is. :)

I decided not to use the mounting block in the corner, so instead I stood on my Ikea stool on the quarter line at ‘E’ — again, just trying to be different. I set Xena up so she was facing the long wall, which was about 8 feet away; I was preplanning in case she panicked. Because I was mounting on her left, she would naturally shy to the right. By facing the wall it would cause her to turn left and disengage her hindquarters; the basis of the emergency stop.

I began by reviewing stepping up in the stirrup, placing my right hip in the saddle and dismounting a moment later — she was familiar with this from last week. After several practice attempts, I finally swung my leg over. A moment later I dismounted, and took her for a walk around the arena. After one lap, we returned to the mounting stool. I repeated this 7 times. Each time I mounted and dismounted, it was followed by a lap around the arena. By the 5th mounting she blew as we re-approached the mounting stool, and on the 7th I asked her for a one-step turn on the forehand (lateral flexion, using just the reins). I dismounted, and called it a very successful night.

Xena was a bit tense at times, but never panicked or introverted, and she offered flexion each time I asked. I think the walks around the arena may have been the best part, because it gave her time to think and prevented me from being overly ambitious. My plan is to repeat this pattern of mounting, dismounting, and walking for 3 or 4 weeks. If she needs longer, then we’ll just keep practicing.

Note to Self: It’s all about baby steps!

A Look Back

• Feb 2009 – We began playing the 7 Games Online.
• Aug 2010 – I created a pre-ride training plan based on the Parelli 7 Games, with the unspoken goal of mounting Xena within 6 months.
• Sept – I bought her a bareback pad to wear during our groundwork sessions and begin laying over her back on a regular basis.
• Oct – I bought a tall stool, and begin standing on it to play the 7 Games from a height, in the arena and her stall.
• Dec 18 – I mounted her for the first time, using a bareback pad and rope halter.
• Feb 4 – Xena begins wearing her new saddle during our Online & Liberty groundwork sessions.
• Feb 27 – I stood in the stirrup for the first time (our 2-year Anniversary!)
• March 5 – I sat in the saddle for the first time!

Updates

• March 18 – I mounted Xena for the 41st time! We did a 360 turn on the forehand and she offered to walk forward 25′.
• March 20 – I mounted her for the 54th time, and asked her to walk forward about 70′.
• March 24 – I’ve set two cones about 50′ apart. We mount at one, walk to the other and dismount. Then repeat three more times.
• March 27 – Rode Fancy for 10 min; our longest ride yet! We’re wandering around, doing lots of circles (her choice) and playing touch-it with pylons.
  
  
• April 1 – We rode for 20 minutes with lots of circles, figure-8s and weaving around pylons at the walk. In the last 5 minutes, a friend quietly led her horse into the arena, and Fancy was confident enough that I chose to stay mounted. Within a couple minutes, the two horses were walking side-by-side around the arena (I rode, my friend led her horse). It was the first time I’ve ridden Fancy, with another horse in the arena!

I guess you could say we’re making amazing progress!