Here's where we are......and then some

Things are very busy here at the Bar T. With 3 new mustangs and our personal horses combined leaves little time for anything. Pardon continues to make daily progress with the least bit of attention. I think with the time I spent with Medicine Man last year Pardon would already be in the parades. In the past week I’ve only been able to give him an average of 45 min’s per day. I spend more time with him in the stall than the round pen. BUT, with that said here’s where we are. Monday we worked on all the basics learned before any new tasks. Round pen left and right with a stop on command at any point. He did have his favorite spots in the round pen where he was most comfortable but now we can operate in any place. Without lead we can brush his entire body including his tail. He loves his head and pole scratched and rubbing his eyes will almost put him to sleep. With the lounge whip we can crack it all around, slap the ground, and toss it all over his body and around his legs. No problem. Bag on a stick? Well, If you could hold up he would stand while you beat him with it for hours with no interest. Thru his legs, belly, hind-end, manly-parts, no problem. Bug spray? I think he now knows that it keeps those nasty horse fly’s away. I have given him 2 doses of equi-spot and that’s working a lot of the fly issues. A rinse off is tolerated but not really loved. Leads forward and backward on request with a slack rope. He is just beginning to follow slightly without any lead until he gets distracted but can be picked up again just by turning in a circle. I still want him a bit further up on my shoulder as we lead, now he stays about 2 feet behind me. Feet, I have both fronts with little panic from him and can hold 10-15 seconds. Going for the rear feet later this week. Blue tarp is no problem walking on or having it rubbed on him. I did trim his bridle path with electric clippers over the weekend. We even cut back a few whiskers in the process. Now for the new stuff. My goal Monday was to get on his back. That went well. Within 10 min’s of first attempt I had laid across his back from both sides, slid all around from neck to hips and put a pad on and off 10-15 times. The little fellow didn’t quite know what to think when I started jumping up a down as I rubbed his body. I think he envisioned me being the big bad tiger… after we got thru that Pardon only spooked 1 time after I got on moving more from my own fright than his. A super horse. With the pad I was able to get on and off either side at my leisure by the end of the session. I really haven’t found a true issue with this fellow. His trust is slowly overcoming his fears, his manners well outweighs the times he does spook keeping he and I safe during that brief second. Can’t wait until tomorrow. Saddle time!