Maraschino's first ride

It was a bit chilly till the wind died down but we made some great progress with Maraschino.

I put the rhythm beads on him, the cherokee bridle and the bareback pad - all without any reaction from him. The jingle bells are a bit loud for him sometimes as they go over his ears but he was really good.

I had a play with him, we did some walking on the tarp, backed up onto the tarp, looked at the barrel and the cows, and then some circle in trot and canter, and I got two trot circles!

He did a nice squeeze in between the tire and the round pen and Michelle started by just leaning on him, then jumping up next to him - all of which he was fine with because I've done all that with him right from day one practically. The only glitch we had was the end of the savvy string came loose and flicked him in the eye so we took it off after he over-reacted a little, and then didn't swing ropes over his head - just not today. We didn't want to stress him out.

So then I was charged with having him online basically while Michelle got on and took turns putting her knees up and rubbing him etc, he moved forward the first time, but I positioned him again after going 360 round the tire and after that he was fine. She was armed with carrots so every time he looked round at her he got a carrot which he thought was pretty cool.

So it wasn't too long before she was able to get her leg over and sit up - literally about 10 minutes. And she sat there for a while and rubbed him, gave him carrots etc.

Then it was my job to move him in a way that everyone would be safe, since Michelle didn't have reins. I moved him forward then immediately stopped him by lifting the rope and moving his HQ over.

All he really did was stumble a little, trying to get his balance and figure out how to move forward with Michelle on top. Then when stopped he looked round at her shoes which looked very much like carrots in all fairness.

We walked forward again, then stopped after a few steps and repeated that a few times, went backwards, and then Michelle got off, then back on again and by this stage he was walking out with me with his head down and relaxed and he licked and chewed.

Then Michelle had a go with the rope at directing him forward, left and right - and he was so soft and so responsive!

Just like that!!!!!!! How cool is that...

Here's the money shot!

Thanks Michelle. xx

and then came the saddle

Michelle and Maraschino swapping secrets.

Yesterday my friend Michelle came over for a catch up on Maraschino's progress and to give me some pointers on where to from here. We headed down to the round pen - I had my new green ball in there - wow it's massive (thanks Jane xx).

He was pretty unphased by it. I led him near it and he headed straight for it and touched it.

Funny story - blew it up in the garage - guess what - it doesn't for through a normal doorway! Trap for young players... I had to take it out the roller doors and around - then lift it over the wash bay gate - much to Garbo's horror - he lept up (front feet off the ground then back feet off the ground in his little panic mode) and then looked away - just refused to look at it. Out of sight out of mind.

George and I took it into the paddock as the boys watched on from their yards and we bounced it - it bounces higher than two or three of me!

So - back to the round pen and Maraschino sniffing the green ball - no problem at all.

I went to get the saddle while Michelle used the savvy string to make a cherokee bridle. He actually quite liked it - he loves chewing anyway. She also worked on putting it over his ears and off again like we would with a normal bridle.

Then I just put the saddle on just like you do in Level 1 - and he was fine about that too.... he actually went to the saddle and touched it while he was chewing in the savvy string bridle.

Girth up - no problem. Michelle moved his HQ, and FQ's around with the girth done up about as much as you would before the last tighten to get on... and he was still fine.

Then she handed him over to me to just send him out and get him moving - and he did - just as normal - no problem at all - what an angel he is.

Did that for a bit - playing with the green ball a little too - then we put the stirrups down while he was standing still, and flapped them around rhythmically - that was really the only time he had any reaction what so ever. But once we had done it on one side the other side was fine. He had also stopped chewing on the savvy string by then too.

Then I just got him in the mount from the fence position for ages rubbing on him till he got all sleepy - and we ended it there.

Today - same all over again just with some obstacles. I'll do that all week and Sunday/Monday all going well he'll have one of us sitting on him (just sitting for the first session).