Rusty as fun

Today was a day full of pleasantness.

RNB and I travelled north together -- he to test drive the backhoe he wants to buy and me to consult with a psychologist who provides equine facilitated psychotherapy in her community. RNB is planning some earth moving adventures. I am planning some psyche moving adventures.

On our drive north we practiced some conscious communication skills we learned with Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt (www.imagorelationships.com). On our drive south, I drove and RNB napped. I was tempted to nap as well but decided my full attention on the driving responsibility was more important. To keep myself alert I mentally started writing an article on Providing Intentional Safety in EFP. More on that in the future.

Two horses needed trimming today and I proceeded with that. Both horses were grateful. The change of seasons brings significant changes in their hooves, and this year is requiring more frequent hoof care than usual.

After the hard work, although the afternoon sun was fading, it was still light out and I wanted to ride. Rusty agreed to this idea so I saddled him up.

He is so round this spring! Round enough so I struggled to girth him up with the same girth I always use with this little, old close contact postage stamp of a saddle. Round enough so the saddle fits him better than ever with adequate clearance over his withers. A nice surprise!

Our ride was most pleasing to me, and to him as well I suspect. We took turns. I asked him to move and I allowed him to chose where to move and when to stop. After a brief pause, I dismounted and lead him to some place where I could comfortably mount him again. Then repeated the request to move and going with him where he chose. Each time it was different. When he chose to enter the open gate of the round pen, after he stopped and I dismounted, I closed the gate and continued my experiment in sharing. Plus added some steering from my seat. He can't wander too far or too fast in the round pen, so I felt safe riding him with so little control. My ideal is to ride him this way anyplace, anytime. He often gets too excited to listen well when we distance ourselves from the herd, but perhaps I'll try this same experiment outside the paddock on another day. It may go as smoothly as it went today.