Thursday, January 15, 2009

Kallie Meets the Saddle

Today I introduced Kallie to the saddle; we played through the Seven Games with her being “naked”. She was very responsive and would move away from the slightest amount of pressure, everything was a Phase 1, Porcupine, Driving, Yo-Yo, just perfect. She would even change direction at the trot when Circling easily as I stepped back, switched the hands my carrot stick and rope were in and pointed in the new direction. She easily made the transition. She would squeeze between me and the fence, go sideways easily, she was doing just great!

So I put the saddle pad on next and we played all of the Games over again, she was quite, calm and Left Brained. Licking and chewing as we went. Once I was content with her response to all Seven Games with the saddle pad I brought out the saddle. As soon as I had it off the fence she was putting her nose on it, not worried about it at all. But I still walked away from her with it supported on my hip, she eagerly followed. I did this for a little while before I started to swing it around, getting her used to the motion of it and the sound of the creaking leather and the jingle of the buckles.

Next I saddled her with a hug, she tensed slightly but I just rubbed her neck and she was licking and chewing in no time. I took the saddle off, and walked away from her again with it. Approached her with the saddle and saddled her with a hug again. She had a lot less tension this time, so I did it a few more times until she was at the point of licking and chewing before the saddle was even on her back.

I rubbed her stomach and reached under her belly for the cinch, I cinched it up very loosely; you could tell she was a bit worried as there was the slightest pressure from the girth on her. So I went slowly, lots of rubbing and talking to her and she began to relax. I disengaged her hind quarters and began playing the games with her. She didn’t seem to care about the saddle on her back one single bit. She stuck to me like glue and almost seemed to be even more responsive. It proved to be a bit hard to get some pictures of her at first because she wanted to be right with me, so I had to drive her back with the driving game and managed to snap a few shots!

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Licking and Chewing.


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Pretty girl with her saddle.

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