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05/29/2003: "Happy Days Are Here Again!"
It finally happened - I sat on Indy yesterday afternoon, and this time he was awake! Yep, all saddled up and everything. We’d been practicing my putting more and more weight in the stirrup for several days, and at the same time, I was experimenting to find the right spot on the latigo to be just tight enough to keep the saddle from turning. I found the spot, put my foot in the stirrup and thought, “What the heck!” So, instead of stepping back down as I had been doing, I kept going and swung my leg on over. Indy was a bit startled at first, but not seriously, and he got over it almost immediately.
Oh, we didn’t GO anywhere, and I only stayed up for a few minutes - but STILL!! We were inside the barn, and I didn’t even have Indy’s bridle - he just had his halter on. We didn’t venture outside for several reasons. First, I didn’t have my helmet. I never used to wear helmets unless I was jumping - and believe me, that wasn’t very often! - but now that I’ve gotten used to wearing one, I don’t feel comfortable riding without it. Second, I didn’t have Ami restrained - she was out grazing - and there is NO WAY I try to ride Indy, DJ or any other horse with Ms Ami free to make trouble. She seems to find it quite amusing to get into the face of the horse I’m on and force him to rear. She has several other practical jokes in her repertoire, but, since I don’t find them as amusing as she does, she has to stay in the paddock when I’m riding.
So I just sat on his back in the barn, scratching on Indy and telling him what a SUPER boy he is - like he didn’t already know that! I leaned forward far enough to scratch his ears, leaned back, and scratched his butt, I raised my legs high enough to scratch his shoulders with my feet. By the way he was holding his head WAY up and running his upper lip WAY out, I gathered he was enjoying himself as much as I was.
Oh, my GOD! That felt SOOOOOOO WONDERFUL!
------------------------------------------ UPDATE -------------------------------------------------
I wrote this yesterday but was not able to post. I haven’t done anything more yet because it was raining yesterday. Besides, yesterday was Indy’s 5th birthday, so I didn’t want to ask anything of him but to eat his extra treats and enjoy HIS Day. :o) Since Ami is not registered, and I don’t know the exact date of her birth - except that it was in May - we celebrate both birthdays on the 28th. Ami enjoyed HER day too, with extra treats and stuff. I didn’t ask anything of her either, but of course, I never do… LOL!
Today I plan to put both the saddle and bridle on Indy and start getting Ami used to seeing him tacked up. If she will settle down enough, I will get on Indy - depending on his reaction too of course.
Geez, I’m still on a high from just SITTING on him. Who needs drugs and booze? All I need to get stoned is to SIT on my horse!
