Hawk's Trial - Day 5

Day 1 was good, days 2, 3 and 4 were very bad and now day 5 has brought alot of improvement in him!

He is alone in a paddock (we didn't want someone else's horse getting all kicked up) and is getting used to electric fence for the first time. I think the electric fence "biting" him was what put him on edge so much the past few days. He was very worried that everything else was going to "bite" him as well.

The barn owner and I decided to ride him today (I even took the day off work). We brought him into the barn and he was a little nervous at first. He was dancing around in the cross ties, but quickly settled down when I started grooming him. He was a breeze to tack up.

Once in the ring, we worked on leading him and getting him to stop when I stop. After a couple of laps around the ring he picked it up quickly. The barn owner then got on and started working him. He did really well - he isn't a spooky horse - he was looking around a bit but that was all. She rode him for about 20 mins, walk trot and canter.

Then it was my turn to get on. YIKES!!

I tend to be a nervous person, but I knew he was a steady guy. I took a few deep breaths and then climbed on! He was very good for me. His head was up a bit, but as we worked more he relaxed and settled down. There is lots to look at around the riding ring - other horses, cars coming in, traffic on the road - but he didn't try anything bad. He really seems like the kind of horse that won't explode if things get a little hairy - which is what I need. I even cantered a few circles - they weren't very pretty, but it was a canter. I've had my other gelding at that barn since last September and haven't felt good enough to canter him...

He doesn't have a lot of experience - but his temperament seems to be making up for it. I'll need to spend some time doing alot of ground work with him to get him where I would like him to be. Luckily my barn owner is a gem and is willing to teach me skills that I'm missing.

Tomorrow we are going out on a trail ride - the barn owner's hubby is going to ride Hawk for me (he is fearless) and I'm going to ride a school pony. We'll see how Hawk does and if he isn't too spooky we may switch horses part way through.

Soooo, if we get a few more good rides out of him over the coming week and a bit, I'm thinking I just might buy him! I'm guessing that today was probably his worst ride and that he will only improve as he gets used to me and the new barn.

The junior rider has until the end of the week to decide about buying my other gelding - I'm pretty sure that she is totally in love with him, so it shouldn't be a problem!