Day 1 - on my own

Yesterday was the first day of my lease on G.  I also, as usual, had work in my classroom.  I decided to eat my meat before the pudding, and I worked first.  I was really excited to go to the ranch, but also had serious butterflies.

When I finally got to the ranch, I met more nice people.  Funny how many are teachers.  They all seemed pleased that someone was going to be giving G attention.  I took him out of his stall and spent a long time grooming him.  He has "rain rot" which I need to research.

Tacking him up was awkward.  His saddle has more straps than I'm used to.  His bridle was a little tricky too.  I felt pretty pleased with myself when I finally figured it all out on my own.  Then we were off.

I took the same route as we took on my test-trail ride.  It was fine until we got to the spot he spooked before.  Then he started backing and trying to turn back.  I didn't realize at first that it was the same spot.  I thought he was just testing me, but it was also that he was afraid.  I turned him in circles and then tried to go forward.  He would start backing and sidestepping.  I turned him in circles again.  This went on for years, or maybe five minutes.  Finally, with some firm kicks I got him past the spot and we rode along ok again.

After a while a truck approached us from behind.  It was a narrow road so I rode to the side and stopped.  G lunged up a narrow berm of dirt and then stumbled down it.  It was pretty terrifying to me since I'm so afraid that a horse I'm riding may fall.  We both stayed upright and so then it was just embarrassing.  The people in the truck waved as they passed and I waved back.  At that point I realized my pants had caught on a barbwire fence and ripped from knee to ankle.

So lessons learned:

1. Be prepared for trouble if you've had trouble in that spot before
2. Ride to a wide spot or a driveway where you can get all the way off the road
3. I am capable of dealing with challenges
4. G has more energy than I thought

I went home after cooling G and grooming him again.  After changing pants Gary and I went to Fox Feed for fly spray and something for rain rot.  We went back to the ranch and I rode for a little while in the arena.  A quiet end to an eventful first day.