Son of a Lynx had a couple days off to think about our first training session while I took care of some non-horse related things. We were back at it this morning though, and he did great.
I was able to find a girth and sheepskin cover that he likes much better, so no head tossing or kicking at the girth this time. He also decided that me being on the top step of the block wasn't so alarming anymore. I did manage to surprise him a little when I began patting the saddle on the far side, but he realized it wasn't a big deal pretty quickly. He even let me put a leg over the saddle on each side too.
I take a lot of time teaching horses to stand quietly at the mounting block for a few reasons. Mounting and dismounting are somewhat precarious moments in riding when a slight move in the wrong direction can create havoc really quickly. I also want to make an environment where the horse is so comfortable with me hanging all over him that it seems like the next obvious step to just climb on, and he isn't worried or concerned at all.
After we were done in the ring I hosed him off and hand grazed him a little. I'm hoping to get him to where he can be turned out in the pasture with whichever of my horses he becomes friends with. My gelding Note is the trickiest personality in my herd, but so far he and Son of a Lynx have enjoyed polite indifference over the fence. That feels like a big win considering how it took many years for Note to be turned out safely with anyone else.
Lastly we enjoyed taking a few selfies. I swear Son of a Lynx understood the game, giving me a smooch on my cheek, smiling a little, and looking right into the cell phone camera.
https://youtu.be/l7B2puEg5xE?is=H8CcKPvLkItNRpZ7
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