Domino 16

Had a good ride today. My paddock is so muddy right now when I went out to get him I decided I would work him in the front yard. He caught me right away and put the halter on did some flexing right there. He still throws his head a little but is getting lots better. I saddled him and took him in the front yard. Then I sacked him out with the tarp and umbrella, lunged him a few minutes then got on him. We started down the road just asking for some flexion both directions. I am trying to get him to follow his nose. He is a bit spooky at things. A squirrel made him jump and then later something must have moved in the woods because he did a 180 and almost lost me but I was thrown forward and grabbed around his neck. I took him about a 1/2 mile down the road and then caught a powerline to a place I call the circle where I take the other horses to work with them. I just wanted to ride to that and walk around the circle a few times in each direction then walk back. We did circle esses all the way out. The best way to keep a horse from being scared that I know is to keep their feet busy and the circle esses works their lateral flexion and softness and teaches them to follow their nose which is a huge aid if you get into trouble. Anyway, he decided he wanted to head back home and just kept fighting me and really bracing so I was running out of time anyway, hence we started back. He wantet to go fast so I would let him as long he followed his nose and would go in circles on the way back down the powerline. We got to the road and he settled down. However, I did make him disengage both directions a few times so that he knows I can control his feet. This is the problem with a lot of domesticated horses they don't get out into the world and see that things don't have to scare them. THe only world they know is their back yard. So going down the road or out on a trail can be a big deal if you don't introduce it slowly and not over load them. I think I had him out there too long and that is why he was acting up. On the road again we did several stops and back ups, some circle esses, even some leg yields which I think he is going to pick up rather quickly. He still needs a lot of work on softness though and stop bracing on lateral flexion. We got back and I made him work a little bit so as to show him that getting back doesn't necessarily mean rest. Flexed him some more and got off and put him up.
Little by little I think he will improve.