Hi everyone! Big news!
Kinaja turned three years old two and a half weeks ago, and today I rode her for the very first time! She stood still while I got on, took a few steps back in uncertainty, but then seemed to not mind and tried to turn her head around to look at me, as if to ask why I was up there and not on the ground next to her. I had my friend lead us with a rope, but she also responded well to slight leg pressure. I had two sets of reins on her, and just used the ones clipped to her halter, though she did wear her bridle. We 'circumnavigated' the round pen twice, and when we paused for pictures she tried to eat my shoe...
She was richly rewarded for her good behavior, with carrots, cookies, an apple and--her favorite--a banana.
Now that I know she's blase about riding, I won't get on her again until this summer. She still has a lot of growing to do, so I guess I'll just fill our time with more tricks! Standing on a box and the spanish walk are next on the agenda...

Kinaja turned three years old two and a half weeks ago, and today I rode her for the very first time! She stood still while I got on, took a few steps back in uncertainty, but then seemed to not mind and tried to turn her head around to look at me, as if to ask why I was up there and not on the ground next to her. I had my friend lead us with a rope, but she also responded well to slight leg pressure. I had two sets of reins on her, and just used the ones clipped to her halter, though she did wear her bridle. We 'circumnavigated' the round pen twice, and when we paused for pictures she tried to eat my shoe...
She was richly rewarded for her good behavior, with carrots, cookies, an apple and--her favorite--a banana.
Now that I know she's blase about riding, I won't get on her again until this summer. She still has a lot of growing to do, so I guess I'll just fill our time with more tricks! Standing on a box and the spanish walk are next on the agenda...


