Preview For Steven

Robin brought Little Sage into the barn. Though she was 3 years old, she looked small to me. I would guess not even 14 hands. She was perfectly well mannered and calm. Brushing, feet, mane, tail: exactly as big Sage was: accepting and calm. Robin used the same Abetta Trail saddle I had used the day before, complete with the nylon saddle bags tied neatly to the front. It took us a bit to find a girth snort enought to get a good fit, and yet longer for some adjustments. The entire time Little Sage stood quietly, eagerly looking forward to going to work.

She accepted the bit with very little difficulty and was not at all put out when it needed repeating as the headstall was a bit large for her. Robin got herself ready with helmet and vest. Steven had never seen a vest like that, and had all the appropriate questions about it. I grabbed the step stool and Steven had the video camera ready and we all proceeded to the round pen for a demo of a first ride.

Robin took her time with Little Sage. Had her side passing and bending for quite some time, all the while Steven was standing on the step stool just outside the roundpen with the video camera pointed at Little Sage and Robin. Later, in the video, you could hear him asking Skye, who was very busy checking out her new toy on the step stool, to stop bothering him. She is no fool. She knew what was going on and she very well knew that the nailing apron I was wearing was full of yummy horse treats. She was going no where.....

Little Sage was very obviously enjoying her session, and appeared comfortable and confident with everything that Robin was asking of her on the lead line. She then attached the reins and used them, with body pressure of her own ribs to simulate a riders leg and asked Little Sage to bend, give and turn. Each little success was met with lots of praise and a treat for a job well done.....and it was time for a rider.

I held the longeline while Robin took the step stool into the round pen with her, placed it next to a very patient and accepting Little Sage. She put body weight on her at first, with no reaction. I was impressed. For such a young inexperienced horse that has never had a rider, she was amazingly unconcerned, she knew all this....now all that was to be learned today was to accept the human on her back...everything else was old hat. It was very clear.

Robin slowly settled onto Little Sage. Her ears moved around a bit, and she stayed still, and earned the appropriate praise. Robin asked to to move forward....ears moved, but she was still. Eventually she moved forward, walking around the roundpen, not quite sure what to make of all this new stuff, but happy with the praise and treats she would receive when asked to stop and to move. It was actually a really touching moment, she was confident and comfortable and I am sure Robin gave herself a well deserved pat on the back for a job well done, and if not: she should have.

I smiled at Steven, and told him that's what it should be like...I hope you watched closely....

Back in the barn, untacking, I saw what Robin had said to be true. They like to work. Little Sage was in no great hurry to be returned to her buddies and the hay in her paddock. She was just as happy standing in the barn with her human friends....

We had one more lesson, actually a relesson for Steven's Sage that day.....