[monochrome.]

Day 19: {Riding begins} [Day short due to limited time online]


Early the next morning, I tacked Ani up and led her to the indoor arena, wordlessly closing the door behind me, locking the dogs out. Today we were going to concentrate. Sensing my no-nonsense mood, Aiyana followed me over to the mounting block quietly, standing perfectly still as I looped her reins over her head and climbed the mounting block. I pushed down gently on her saddle, and, when she didn't react, slowly added more pressure. After a few minutes I eased myself into the saddle, tightening my grip on the reins and sitting heavily in the seat when she snorted, pinned her ears and kicked out before breaking into a rocky canter around the arena. I wordlessly leaned back, applied a light pressure on the bit and deepened my seat. After a few beats she slowed into a trot, then a walk and, finally, a halt. "Good girl!" I praised, leaning down slowly to pat her neck. Giving her a few seconds of rest, I squeezed her sides, asking for a walk both with aids and verbally. She flicked her ears towards me and paused for a few seconds before slowly lifting one hoof and placing it delicately on the ground in front of her, followed by another, until she was in a walk. I immediately eased the pressure from her sides and praised her. After a few walk and stops, I steered her towards the center of the arena and dismounted.

Once we reached her paddock, I untacked her and haltered her, allowing her to graze while I rubbed he curry comb in neat circles over her sides, back and withers. Once all the arena dirt and caked mud had been removed from her coat I quickly swept over her coat with a hard brush, and then a soft brush. After her hooves were picked her mane combed and her tail braided, I polished her tack, filled her water trough, poured grain into her feed bucket and replaced her salt block with a new one. While Ani grazed, I returned to her stall and changed the bedding, filled the hay net and water bucket and put away her tack, as well as her grooming supplies. Throwing Aiyana's saddle pad in the washer, I grabbed a carrot and returned to her paddock. "Night, girl. Tomorrow you can have a break day, I know we did a lot of work today." I opened the gate and let Whisper into the paddock for the night before heading back up the hill with Trigger and Heartbreak.

Thoughts?:
Although at first Ani was uncomfortable with having someone on her back, she soon quieted down and began to concentrate on the task at hand.

[monochrome.]

Going through a very, very rough time right now. Posts will be far and few between. I will ensure by the end of the contest that there are about 50 posts in, but I can't work with Ani daily at the moment. I'm really, really, truly sorry ):