day14

I gotta make this short, but I will finish later if I have to.
I am still trying to learn this horse. I had to run him just a bit when I went to put the halter on him. And then did some work with him with that on before I presented the pad. He accepted it.  I did it just as if I needed to sack him out in the beginning. I am finding that I may have assumed too much and went a bit too fast for him. Anyway, I got him used to the pad and then did the same with the saddle. ON and off, that bugger is heavy. Finally, I cinched him and he didn't offer to move. I moved him a bit up close after saddling, I don't want him bucking. Then I played with him doing the falling leaf and lungeing him. After about 30 minutes of this kind of work out, with lots of rests for him (I also put the bridle on him) I got on him. This time forward motion was real good. He moved right out at a walk and when I asked for a trot, it was nice and easy. We practiced walk>trot>walk several times in both directions and I let him rest. Then we went back to work only this time he was doing so well I decided to ask for a canter, and guess what? no fighting me. I asked on the correct foot for the correct lead and he gave it to me. Yippee! I am learning to have him take just baby steps in everything I do first before I ask for more and he is ok with that. Anyway a great ride with not a lot of testiness on his part. It was fun and good.
I think I got it all.