Life Outside of the Round Pen

I just can't sing the praises of my Amicus enough! This week he has built on the foundation we laid together over the course of our first week together. So new updates- we left the round pen! On Tuesday night after our lesson (and after dark...), I thought he might enjoy nibbling on a little grass. My goal was to make it out of the lights of the round pen and into the dark abyss of the pasture, around to the other side of the barn, where another horse was being worked in the arena. At first he was a little iffy about walking through the gate, leaving all he knew of the Bar T behind. After just a minute of taking in the outside world while straddling the threshold, it wasn't too terribly difficult to persuade my dear Amicus out of the round pen when he realized there was grass on the other side! The hard part was keeping his attention on me instead of the grass :)

He followed me along the perimeter very well! He only had one tiny "ohmygosh" moment when he encountered a roping dummy toward the end of the barn. After the initial shock, he marched right on up to it, gave it a quick once-over, then decided all was well. Once we made it around to the arena I gave him his head and let him eat. Despite the darkness (who knows what kind of monsters lurk around in the dark), the other horses, the other people, and all the new contraptions, he did so well! He never balked...not once!

The next day (Wednesday), I took him out of the round pen and into the pasture before our lesson. I gave him about thirty minutes of "Amicus Time," and let him roam unattended around the pasture. I think he was appreciative. The best part? He actually walked toward me when I went to catch him. Lovely!

The big triumph Wednesday night was, hands-down, getting on his back. I desensitized him pretty well, then hopped up and laid across his back. He totally didn't care. I got on and off from both sides...nothing! Before that, he learned how to lunge. Again, a non-issue. He's so very smart; after about ten minutes, he was comfortable and perceptive enough to change directions with only a small step (in front of him), and a point of the hand. Great guy!

Tonight (Thursday) I repeated everything he's learned until now, then put the saddle on him :) Again, it was not even a big deal. I didn't, however, cinch him up tonight because it was pitch-dark, and, if/when he bucks, I want pictures! You do too, right?