What Bud Got for Christmas

A fancy new bridle complete with gemstones so he'll look even prettier!

A new (used) saddle, a fleece saddle pad that belonged to my first horse, The Piglet, and a hand made (yes it's orange) hemp saddle pad complete with large pockets for trail riding.  He looks quite snazzy (as Delma would say).

The complete set up.  Doesn't he look so smart?

Going along so perfectly calm and happy....

Trots along like such a good boy...

And he feels good enough to canter now too!

It's so amazing to finally be even galloping after all the laminitis nightmare.

One would never expect that he'd......

BUCK! 

 

 

 

And not just one buck but about 10 in about a 15 minute period.  (He has no problem with the saddle, he's just doing what Bud does when he doesn't want to do something and thinks he might get away with it.)  Today, we cantered/galloped/bucked up and down this strip about 8 times.  He was quite tired after about the 4th go, but still had a ton of buck left in him.  Thankfully, I was fully expecting it.

 

He's still just learning.  This video is from our first training session working trot to canter transitions.  Prior to this, I would prompt him to canter, get a few strides and let him resume a trot with much praise and NO bucks.  Those little jaunts let me know that he was strong enough to canter and also able to do it without pain.  Today, it was time to let him know that cantering is just like trotting.  I ask, he does.  Period.  So that is where all the bucks came into play.  He protests anything "new" until he figures out I am more stubborn than he is and it would be easier for him to just comply.

All in all, he is coming along quite well and I am SO thrilled with his progress.