[KathrynKat]

All about Poker
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2590929&p=82454476#p82454476

[KathrynKat]

First Touch

I've done tons of fun tricks and training with poker, and sometimes along side her mother.
She is now old enough to start getting her used to the saddle. I went to the paddock to find
Poker, of course she was with Lola and her Aunt Macy. I approached the young mare, and handed her
a sugar cube. I slipped the halter and lead onto her and lead her away from her family.

I brought Poker into the stabled to get her prepared for this little something new to her. Although
she had seen me riding my Neravontiis, and her mother, she was still a bit curious. I tied the mare up
outside her stall, and went to collect the saddle I had stored away for her for this day, along with a lovely
bridle. I set the saddle on her stable door with the bridle hanging off the edge of the door.

I walked over to the mare after setting down her tack. I held out a sugar cube, and started to brush her down.
After grooming her, she was calm and half asleep. I gave her a gentle pat on the neck, and walked to her saddle.
I removed the saddle from the saddle pad, and approached the mare with the pad. I let her sniff it out, and gentle rubbed it across her shoulders and placed it on her back. I then threw my arms over her back and lifted my legs a little to let
her feel some weight. She spooked a little but didn't dare to harm me. I knew she trusted me, so I took things slowly.

I headed to grab the saddle, and as I approached her I let her check it out, she then moved her head to look forward, and lowered it. So I headed over to give it a big swing and tossed it onto her back. I moved it into place when I noticed she seemed to not have minded it. After put it in the right spot I slowly and gradually tightened the saddle onto her back.

I handed her a carrot and patted her on the neck, then walked off to grab her bridle. I slipped it on as if her halter, which she had been used to. But she had no idea what a bit was, so I took that off to add afterwards. I reach into my pocket after getting her bridle on nice and snug. I clipped the bit to one side, and slipped t into her Mouth handing her a sugar cube as I force her mouth open. I then clipped the bit to the other side of the bridle, and gave her a pat on the neck once
again.

[KathrynKat]

First Ride

10 minutes had passed, of just letting Poker stand with the tack, she was pretty calm so I went to tighten her
saddle properly, and untied her. I decided to try something new since she was so calm. Other Neravontiis I had
always walked to the round pen, but she'd watched her mother and grandparents, and other Neravontiis being
ridden. I lift my foot and place it into the stirrup, and gave the saddle a little push and pull a few times to be
sure she was in place, and wasn't going to react. I pulled my weight up, but didn't swing me leg over the saddle.
I gave her a pat on the other side on her neck, dropped to the ground and gave her a carrot.

I walk to the other side of her and repeated the same steps, so she was used to both sides being approached.
She was fairly calm. So I lead her out of the stables, and mounted for reals this time. After getting
into place in her saddle I signaled her to walk on, after taking a few steps she started to twitch and get
a tiny bit jumpy. "Whoa Poker, Whoa, shhhh it's aokay" I signaled her to a trot and things were settle.

I rode her at a walk and trot for about 15 minutes to get her used to the feel. I then decided to make her canter, and jog a few times. After an hour of riding her, I dismounted and lead her to the stall to unsaddle her, then released her with the rest of the Neravontiis.