Slipped off

I spent a bit of time with Garbo online and at liberty today before my ride as I had given him a treat (ones he does not have very often) and he can get grumpy about having more of them, he lifted his leg twice when I was wiping the dust off him.

We went into the middle paddock and he was a bit spooky right next to the maize, on the circle he would spook or canter faster or come in on the maize side of the circle, so I faced the maize and asked him to canter on the circle, then asked for transitions on the maize side, and change of direction. It wasn't long before he was over the over-reacting.

Then we did some sideways without a fence, and I took his halter off. I ran towards the jump and he went over it so I gave him a treat as he didn't do his normal 'I can't jump it I'll knock it over', which was great. Then we tried the higher jump and he cleared that easily too. I asked him to back up by walking backwards myself, then to go sideways, by walking sideways myself. He did so well I gave him treats for each. It's like he knows he's clever and can do all these tricks once the treats come out (esp the good ones).

Then I decided to test my seperation as I had not done any all week so I jumped on bareback (after putting my helmet on) and walked up the road. Halfway up he spooked at gawd knows what - went sideways and I literally slid off. Now I know why I need the bareback pad!!

I must have done a predator thing and gripped the rope reins (lead rope) as I slid off and I got rope burn (which soon made me let go). Garbo just stood there which was good as sometimes in the past he has run off afterwards. So now I have a very sore little finger, and a bit of a sore back but other than that only my pride was hurt.

He was still a bit spooky up the road in hand but I didn't stay up there long as I needed to get my hand under water. The other two are a bit jumpy too today - maybe it's the new paddock they are in or something. Coco has not taken carrots from me for a couple of days. He jumps and moves away just before he gets to me.