Team building

Took Mico out alone, I don't think I've gone out alone in ages. I forgot how nice it was--no conversation, so you concentrate more on the environment and how your horse responds to it. Mico was cautious, but very obedient. I took him down the broken snowmobile bridge trail, alternating trots with fording large, deep puddles ringed with yellow pollen. At the first stream right at the bridge, Mico sucked back at the strange looking pollen, but I was able to press him on. We even jumped over the fallen tree, only 2' but he took it well out of trot stride.

We rode down the winding, steep hills leading to the Province Rd. corner, but only to the bottom, where the trail had recently been marked as private property, there was lumbering going on, complete with loud, scary, grinding noises--even I was unnerved. We turned back and headed back up the hills to the fork, and stayed straight left, down a trail we hadn't gone before. After a ways, we came to a faster, deeper stream, and again Mico sucked back. I looked for a better place to ford the stream, and guided Mico to it, just left of the trail. I spent some time waiting Mico out, not fussing, just giving him the chance to do the right thing. I went back and forth to the trail and to the crossing spot I'd picked several times before Mico decided to edge closer at the ford. He gathered himself as if to jump, I grabbed mane just in case, but he walked through.

After all that, the trail continued on past a swamp a short way, then came out on Rte. 9. We turned around and headed back at an easy walk, and I experimented with upper body and seat relaxation, trying to get my seatbones to connect with the saddle, especially the left one. I feel like Mico is starting to trust me, and have the confidence to let me guide him through scary to him situations.