Bandon's Ride

Bandon is cementing his place around here, getting along with all the horses and people. He enjoys being with me in the pasture no matter what I'm there to do. He's a good guy.

When I went this morning to try him under saddle the first time I didn't have any nervousness about trusting him. Unfortunately, once I got him to the barn and he realized the other 2 horses were still out, he was unsettled. To his credit he didn't panic, instead he pawed, weaved, and called nervously.

After he was tacked I walked him out and down to the arena, his head dropped and started nudging me along, following like a puppy. Bandon was a dream to ride. He has a lot of  power and a tiny squeeze or cluck will send him forward but he isn't just rushing around panicked or lost. He's responsive on the bit and has an enormous stride that's a lot of fun.

He spooked once as a vehicle with no muffler went barreling down the highway that's just through the trees. Hollowing out his back, he pulls his front up, and just needs to go forward. Exactly like Whisper's spook. Huge relief to get that out of the way and know what his is like.

The only quirky thing I can say about the boy is that he kept his tongue out while warming-up. I know dental issues were a problem in his past, we'll keep an eye on it and work to keep my hands soft. I'm riding him in a loose ring french link so the bit is super mild in his mouth.

Back up to the barn to untack I let him stand at the main gate instead of asking him to stand inside the barn so he could relax. I couldn't stop squishing him, he was just completely good!

After an afternoon playing outside with my kids, I wanted to get in a ride on Whisper today too. Though Whisper is a challenge that sometimes I'm tired of facing. She broke her halter last week on the crossties with my farrier and today she broke another one on a single tie with me. She just panics until something snaps every so often. Once she's loose she careens around the barn kicking, squealing, and popping little half rears threatening to strike anyone near her. After a minute or two she starts bobbing her head, blowing hard, and allows me to catch her again.

Finally tacked-up, I took her out and she did okay with groundwork, I hopped on. She bolted. One-rein stop pulled her up for her to curl up trying to go again. I saved my neck and worked her on the longe instead. It is so completely frustrating to be back at square one, the same as the day she came off the trailer from the track, two years later. Some days I think she has some sort of imbalance.

So, I licked my wounds and went for a short ride on Bandon again (grooming and tacking him outside the barn which he tolerated better). He was a gentlemen on a very loose rein working at the trot, by the end of our ride I was riding with my hands at the buckle, and I ended the day brushing everyone down in their stalls while they munched on dinner. This end of day grooming is where Spotlight excels, being the perfect size to groom and then love all over while he heaves tolerant sighs. The boys more than made up for Whisper's standoffish behavior.

I feel my heart healing with our little herd.

"Again the early-morning sun was generous with its warmth. All the sounds dear to a horseman were around me - the snort of the horses as they cleared their throats, the gentle swish of their tails, the tinkle of the irons as we flung the saddles over their backs - little sounds of no importance, but they stay in the unconscious library of memory." - Wynford Vaughan Thomas