First ride

So much for that invitation to ride. I've ridden Balthazar three times this week. Took him up to Peter's on Monday. Peter gave us some lessons in Parelli's Seven Games in The Playpen. Let me tell you about The Playpen. Peter has gone to a great deal of trouble and created a Parelli Paradise. He has caveletti, he has a tractor tire pedestal, he has a float ramp complete with flapping tarp roof and pink horse ball and painted breast bar. He has log jumps, barrel jumps and a water jump. Witches hats abound and every piece of equipment has been gaily painted. There is a huge squishy lime green Parelli ball and hot pink Tibetan prayer flags. The Playpen connects to the round yard with zen raked white gravel. Peter has put much time and effort into creating the perfect Parelli horse training environment.

This was the milieu Balthazar was led into on Monday morning. He recognized Jack and Emmy immediately. We left them to settle and went and had a coffee. Afterwards Peter took us through a few of the seven games. Weaknesses were discovered, differences explained and at the end, when we'd both been mentally stimulated, I put the Easy Boots (herein referred to as the booties) on Balthazar's feet. He was pretty good. The front ones he got used to fairly quickly. He never quite relaxed about the hind ones but was okay. I chose to remove the hind booties for our ride. We rode around The Playpen at first. Balthazar was fine. Then we headed out for a saunter up to Picnic Hill and back. I was a little scared. Balthazar's back came up beneath me and he was agitated; head tossing and trying to break into a faster gait, something I wasn't prepared to do. But we made it to the top without incident. Really, after more than 2 years of not being ridden, he did well.

On the return trip, things took a turn for the worse. He tossed his head, something he did on the way up the hill but on the way down it was constant, as was the wanting to jig jog. Again, his back was up beneath me and it seemed that it would take a very small spark to incite a major conflagration. I know Balthazar can buck. Wanted to avoid that if possible. We circled and circled and circled. Once his feet stopped moving I would let the rein go. I was riding in a bitless bridle but could still instigate the one rein 'stop'. Seemed every two or three steps I was having to circle him. At the very end, when we reached the old house, the other horses came galloping up to the fence. That was too much, I bailed. Balthazar had grown from 16 to 18 hands. Walked him into The Playpen, got on and rode him around. He was fine then, calm and focussed.

On Tuesday I went up again. Balthazar and I didn't do very well the previous day with yielding the forequarter to the left. I was positioned in the wrong spot, asking in the wrong way and getting circles instead of turns on the hindquarter. I was also getting frustrated. Peter tactfully suggested we move on to something else. Anyway, on the Tuesday we tried again and were much better. We also tried the Falling Leaf pattern in which the horse does half circles in front of you as you walk and we attempted figure 8's around two cones. It was all very calm and nurturing, much better than the day before. I didn't say anything but at one point when Peter was helping me he lightly smacked Balthazar on Monday to wake him up and get him to give. I didn't like that. We don't do that anymore. Not the end of the world but I'm grateful it was just the one instance as I didn't want to have to say anything. At any rate, the second day was much nicer. We rode out and although there was some head tossing, Balthazar was a different horse. So much so that I got off him before we returned to the yards. I'd always done that, stemming back from endurance days when getting off 5 or 10 minutes before arriving allowed blood flow to return to the area under the saddle. It's also a nice reward to get off, loosen the girth, run the stirrups up and walk beside your horse homeward.

One bad thing on Tuesday; while Peter and I were at the house for smoko, Balthazar was working himself into a frenzy because Emmy wasn't with him and managed to slice his leg open just below the knee. Only a surface cut although there was much blood. It is still swollen today but he's not lame and it's a clean wound.

Also had a play with Peter's tb mare Gypsy. She was horsing and consequently was a little obstreperous and squealy. She also had Peter's number and rang him down. He was scared of her and all she had to do was pin her ears or squeal or even make a move into his space to unnerve him. I don't blame him for being scared. I'm scared much of the time but as a bystander I could see what was going on. I took her in hand and after a few complaints she was good.

We ended up putting the saddle on her. I bellied up on her and as she didn't do anything so I sat astride her. Still nothing. Right, I said, your turn, Peter. And he did. I was very proud of him. He got on and she behaved impeccably. We left it at that.

Didn't go Wednesday but returned yesterday. Peter had a little play with Gypsy that he was pleased with and I had a play with Balthazar - ditto. After we'd worked them for awhile I suggested we take them out for a pick. After they'd eaten we tacked them up and went for another walk. Peter accompanied us parallel to their driveway. I would ride Balthazar down the 6km and meet Richard with the float at the bottom. Balthazar whinnied when Peter and Emmy turned back for home but did nothing else. He shouted a few times but kept moving. He did get somewhat excited when we did finally reach the bottom and I got off him but loaded beautifully.

So that's the story. I've ridden him and now only need to keep it up. No riding today as it's raining but perhaps tomorrow. Have made arrangements with Peter that I will go up on Thursdays to play with either Rebel, his other thoroughbred, or Gypsy while he plays with the other. The thing to do is to keep the momentum and motivation going. I've got John Curtin's property to ride through again so even though I have lost much of the riding trails I used to enjoy I still have two close to home that I can use.

Fed all the horses hay last night. Balthazar had lost a little weight while he was away I thought. Because he was so anxious to be reunited with Dakota and Pagan, I didn't try and clean him up from the ride but just turned him loose. So while he was eating hay I hand groomed him to work out most of the dirt and sticky sweat. He pinned his ears a little when I worked on his chest but he seemed okay with it overall. This morning he, after initially turning his head away when I greeted him, walked over to say hello. Very very happy with that.