First Trail Ride

It was an awesome, if long day. I took Sonny out for his first ride, and he promptly REFUSED to step even ONE foot on the blacktop! LOL It took a bit of coaxing, but I got him on it. It took a bit MORE coaxing to get him to cross the wooden bridge that crosses the river.He did the same thing as when he seen the blacktop. He put on the brakes and stopped on a dime. He wouldn't step not a toe on the bridge. I worked him for a bit from the saddle, then decided we'd be best to try it from the ground. I got off and led him to the edge, he still wanted to balk, but eventually he stepped up on it. I led him back and forth several times, without letting him step off it. I then mounted up and rode him back and forth a few times. Then, we rode off the bridge and down the road a about a quarter mile to another bridge. This was a small, low water bridge that had a waterfall coming off of it. It was not deep, but was pretty noisy. My goal here was to just get him to it. I achieved my goal, rewarded him by taking off the pressure, petted and loved on him, then headed back the way we came. We went along at a pretty good clip for a bit up the wide open trail, then he, with great flourish I might add, fell flat on his nose! I, meanwhile, practiced my technique for gravel diving. I find that I can still take a nose dive into the gravel with the best of them. It was only AFTER I picked myself up and got down the road a ways, that I found something dry and witty to say. The only think I could think of to say while I was watching the ground come up, unfortunately for me, was "OH CRAP, YOU CLUMSY BAS&*%$D!" When one takes a dive like this, it should be noted that you should ALWAYS have something dry and witty to say while doing so. You know, something like " GERONIMO!" Or, you could try "BONZAI!!" But, OH CRAP doesnt really count.....
     BUT, Amos got his hair cut and he looks slick as a baby's butt with his new "Kojak" look. It took me 2.5 hours to body clip him. (yes, I know that's an awful long time) He was a good boy though. 


Brooks Gaited Horse Training