Cantor, cantor, cantor....and more training notes

I am happy to report that I rode my "practice" horse Cinnabar at a cantor today. He was quite the runner for a 20+ year old horse. I leveraged what I called a "bait horse". Cinny has a crush on the mare in the turnout next to him, she had just returned from a trail ride and was getting a bath at one end of the arena. I swear I could hear the song Dreamweaver playing in his head while he watched her. He is SO over the moon for this mare. All I had to do was turn his nose toward her and let him go...he went down there so fast one time that I got tossed forward and almost fell off. It was great and he was loving it, except when i turned him around when we got down there and made him do it again...that was not cool in his book. He did it though..about 8 times.

Then, we had our first spook. I still don't know what did it, but we both made it through the ordeal. He spun around and started prancing...it was actually pretty funny after the fact. He had so much energy, but he knew I wasn't going to let him just bolt off, so instead..he started dancing. It was hilarious.

I got some more notes from Don and there's some good news at the end of them.....

"Nov 21 - Let out in arena, worked until she had a good sweat - walked around property

Nov 28 - Let out in arena, worked up a sweat, worked in 2 roundpens - Rope around neck, working the rope on and off of her head. Tied up for an hour

Nov 29 - Worked in big arena, easy to catch - Canter circles - worked 2 smal arenas with rope.

Nov 30 - Worked in roundpens and big arena tied up for an hour, light day

Dec 1 - Small roundpen, 1/2 hour - rope 1/2 plastic bag, new experience.

Dec 2 - Worked in roundpen - tied up by tack room 8 hours - worked with blanket - worked out with white plastic bag

Dec 3 - Roundpen, plastic bag canter circles both ways. Trim feet - 1 hr am roundpen, canter circles, work with plastic bag, rubbed her face, touch her all over with plastic bag. Work rope all over her body making her stand and being calm 1 hr.

Dec 4 - Roundpen working rope over her head and rear, plastic bag 1 hr.

Dec 5 - Stephanie worked horse led her around property

Dec 6&7 off

Dec 8 - Worked mare 1.5 in roundpen rope and walked over blue tarp - GOOD!

Dec 9 - Worked in roundpen tarp, rope 1.5 ground drive - real comfortable going over tarp no problem

Dec 10 - Round pen tarp. Lunging both directions over tarp, Saddle, ground drive - 2 hours no problem wiht saddle ground drive. stop and turn real good with just a halter, tied up for an hour real quiet.

Dec 11 - Lunge mare saddle, ground drive, good stop - turns very well. Salle no problem - 1.5 PM lunge mare for half hour, throw rope above her head and ears ok. Plastic bag rub her all over, ok

Dec 12 - Lung - saddle - ground drive, very nice ground driving - stop turn right or left noce back  - lines and halter. saddle blanket ok, saddle ok, cinch little bit of a problem watch her head and rear end. Nothing serious.

Mare is ready to ride needs to be handled nearly every day - No self confidence. Thank you Don Mutschler."

Don still doesn't think I should ride Fiona, but he is having someone else, named Samantha, ride her a few times to determine if I can handle her. I am supposed to meet with Samantha tomorrow morning. I am truly excited!