Day 6 Seperation thresholds

Day Six I decided to ride Garbo back and forth - bareback. So after getting him out of the track and Maraschino taking absolutely no notice (it's like he is trying to prove how brave he is), I took his cover off, and took him towards the trailer gate. Still nothing from Maraschino. I walked him up and down our little track for a short bit and still nothing so I stopped him beside the trailer and got on. Garbo then decided to climb up the topsoil bank to get the tasty weeds at the top - so I nearly slid off - it was very funny - his back legs were on the ground and his front feet about 3ft high up.

So - after that close call and lots of giggling - we set off up the drive and through the gate and down our road. Garbo was very keen to go see what was happening and to nibble on the grass up there along the way. We got past the barking dogs without them noticing us so they didn't bark - but once past they saw us and started. Garbo didn't give two hoots - I think I was more worried. Not at the barking but the fact they came charging at the fence with teeth gnarling... can give Garbo a fright - and being bareback and all.... anyway - he was fine. Soon I calmed down too.

George heard them barking and knew I had been a bit nervous about them so he wandered up to see how we were and walked back with us. At this point Garbo had seen Wilma and Jimmy - neighbours horses so he didn't want to go home - he wanted to keep going. I told him next time - that we had to go back and see how Maraschino was.

We got back and Maraschino had made one little call out that I had heard so I expected him to be by the fence but he was in Garbo's stall pretending to be very brave, he's so good.

I left it at that because we had been away a while and he was so good.

George commented on how easy it was to take Garbo up the road compared to our neighbour who used to spend half an hour trying to get her horse out of her drive way up that road, and she had a martingale, a grackle, a saddle, bridle the works - I had a lead rope and halter and was riding bareback.

I was very proud of Garbo and myself - it was the first time I have ridden him up the road, and of course bareback - the first time I have ridden him bareback off our property.

I said to George later - it's all about confidence - not just mine - but Garbo's. We had prepared by going up there inhand many times.