Because we're connected.

You don't fully trust a horse until you can forget the saddle.

I'm gonna be honest, when I ride bareback, I'm always nervous. I know I don't have as much control. Obviously! His trot is rough, especially bareback, despite the improvements. Red knows he can test me more when I ride bareback because I am nervous anyway. But today, despite my fear nagging at my head, I grabbed Red from the stall, hooked a lead around his neck and we did our little play/run before. As usual, he ran after me, got a little bunny hop/buck out and played with me. Once he was settled, I took him out, loved on him, got the hack on and climbed on up and hit the road. I decided to go to the smaller pasture where we go through to get to the fruit and berry patch. I didn't go into the patch but we did a lot of hill climbing, trotting and just chilling out. My fears were very present during this time.

This is the thing, I gotta trust Red. After a couple laps up and down the hill, I decided that he wasn't going to pull any tricks so I loosened my reins and let him walk wherever. I let him walk/trot/lope and I stayed on. Every so often, I'd stop him just to make sure he was still listening to me, pat him on the neck, hug him. Let him know that he was actually doing good by walking and that I didn't need him to go fast right now. No one to out run. No horses to get away from. No deadlines to meet. Just Red and I. I felt like this:

 

 Just not with all of the guilt trip stuff. Just the connected part. I am totally Tony Stark and Red is totally my Harley. Sure.

 

 So then, when we were done, I just laid on him and let him go to sleep. Two days in a row, I've been able to have such amazing bareback rides. One was really simple. I wouldn't even call it a ride, but it was nice. Tackless, just laying around and talking. Today was a bit more work for Red, lol!!!

After that, we took the new horse, Dusty, to the round pen to lunge him. Mom was thinking about riding him tomorrow but after seeing him in the round pen, no thanks!!

 

 This guy is Raven and Trig's sire and it's obvious that he thinks he's still a stud!!

 

 

 

Roll!

 This was his response after work-

 

 

 

 I think he's got the potential to be a really good horse, he just needs a trainer!!

Riding either tomorrow or the next day. Farrier's out on Monday. Gotta pay Spirit's board soon, paid Red's today.