Aziim 1

My first day taking the boy by myself. It's a beautiful warm day and I feel good about getting to know him but am not sure how much, if any, trotting I'm going to do. (Note to self: looking back, I believe that meant I was a bit nervous but didn't recognize/admit that until later!)
Removing his halter and putting on his sidepull went really well - he was happy to drop his nose in and have the throat strap buckled. Lead him into the indoor where we walked around a bit and then picked his feet and brushed him - all went really well. Lianne was there, for Sam and she held his head while I did his feet and she moved the mounting block for me after I got on.
We rode at a walk around the arena a couple of times doing a couple of circles along the long end as we went, not getting all the way to the end because of his ears trained hard on those scary things over there. I wasn't sure when he'd run but was pretty sure he would if we got too close! (So am I cueing him to think about running then? hmmmm.)
Walked around and around both diagonals and he did take off a bit once but he didn't go far - really was just a few hurried steps away from that end - so we ended up doing a big circle there. Then we mostly did circles around the arena and in the middle and did some figures of eight. (I'm reading a Brit's horse book at the moment!) We did some trotting while I sang Kenny Rogers to him - but when I realized how fast I was singing it I changed to Halelujah, which I thought was more appropriate anyway!
He did everything I asked, I didn't have all of his attention but felt calm and it was fun.
Then I slid off and led him around by the scary stuff. He is very cute and curious - looks at the stuff with his ears so forward and steps towards it anyway. We flapped straps, smelled the extension cord, set the extension cord on him, hit the wall, smelled the dirt piles and he watched me drag poles out - he blew at them and smelled them and then stayed out of my way while I placed them. Then we hand-trotted over them maybe 10 times. He didn't care for that at first: one little head shake and "avoid-the-poles" move and then he just carried on. We also spent some time in the middle of the arena just standing there quietly while I scrubbed his neck and rump and withers. Or just talked. Or were just quiet, waiting. He didn't know what he was waiting for but he waited really well!
If we'd ended there I think that would have qualified as a "great day" - especially for my first day with him. I'm kind of the "slowest progressor" at the barn (although NObody teases me for it, they're all too encouraging for that!) and am honestly happy with my accomplishments. But sometimes I want to "go another step"...
We took a break for about 20 minutes, him back in his stall beside Paris. When I took him out again it was with Willow's caveson and lunge line. I was thinking I could lunge him which might be more of a help to the farrier when he got his shoes on later that morning.
It did not really go very well!
I couldn't get him to move out without leading him around first and sending him past me from there. He'd go around me for maybe a whole circle but then he'd face me and turn his shoulder to me so I couldn't get him back out! Argh!
I tried re-aligning myself, making sure I'm pointing where I want him to go and looking at his butt. I tried sneaking over to behind his shoulder and swinging the stick while pointing. I tried leading him again. I tried tapping his shoulder. Lianne took a turn walking outside the circle beside him which worked for a bit, even trotting. But back in again he'd come. This might have been 10 minutes although it felt longer! Neither Aziim nor I seemed to feel annoyed or frustrated but confused so it felt better to stop and get on him instead.
So Lianne lunged him while I rode him so we would at least end with him going around the person in the middle at the end of a line!
When we left the arena, he really wanted to go so we stopped, backed up, took two steps, backed up, stood and waited, took a few steps and stopped until he felt happy/head down waiting for me and THEN we went through to his stall.
Which he did NOT want to go into. Maybe he wanted to go outside. Maybe he wanted the continued pleasure of my company. He just stopped stock-still and I laughed! We stood for a minute and he decided he did want to go in after all. Caveson off and halter on for farrier later, no problem. Breathed each other's breath. A bit of a scrub & "good boy"s and a treat.
This may not have been the best of days for Aziim but we are getting to know each other.
My GPS thingy read 1.34 miles (is that all??!!!) and 1hour 20min (again, really? is that all?!!)
This is the beginning!