Well, he wasn't quite sure of that once he got here...but I think he'll be fine.
I rode the fat bay from where he had been being kept to Granddaddy's this afternoon. I think it is about 3-4 miles. To start with, he didn't want to leave through the front gate so I had to get off and walk him out and across the road. I figured riding over next to the orange groves would be safer. I was grateful to the people who, when they drove by, slowed down and eased over to a more central position on the road. I didn't have too much problem.
At one point, a guy on a porch hollered at me that the flank strap was dragging. (Not suprising, seeing as I barely got it hooked anyway--Snipper's gotten FAT!) Once I finally realized what he said (it was rather far), I grabbed the strap and stuck it up behind me on the saddle. I also yelled, "THANK-YOU!!" back to him.
Anytime I passed a place where there are horses, Snip almost started dancing. After passing the bridge, which was an adventure in and of it's self, the pony that lives right there literally came galloping up. I had to fight Snip to get him to keep going forward. At one point I kicked him and smacked his rump with the reigns at the same time and he reared up on me (not very far, but enough that it was noticable). I had no problem staying on and after that he moved off like he was supposed to.
Back to the bridge though. I arrived and urged him forward. He would not step on the wood. I got off and lead him out a bit. Once he seemed comfortable, I got back on. The whole time, a car was sitting there, waiting patiently for me to cross. I was quite thankful. (Like as not they were enjoying the show.) After about two steps, a truck comes up (I've seen this truck many times.) Well, Snip starts backing up, even though the truck also stopped. I had to get off again and lead him off the bridge. The man in the truck, on the upper side of 50, I'd guess, asked me who I was. I told him and added, that I was my granddad's grandaughter :) For some reason I had a feeling that he knew Granddaddy. As soon as I told him, he grinned and said, "Oh!" in a very understanding tone of voice and added something like I "should know what you are doing then". I made sure I mentioned that I was still training the booger. I stayed off and calmed Snip while he drove off and the other waiting vehicles (for now there were two) crossed the bridge.
We made it home safely. I grinned like an idiot a couple of times on the ride and I talked to Snip almost the whole time--as much for my nervousness as for his. I was suprised that I wasn't more nervous than I was. Snip...well, it was all new and he was curious...which means he wasn't as well behaved as he might have been. Of course, it surely didn't help that he hadn't been ridden in a week. (At least.)
And what was the weirdest? Well, the fact that half-way up the driveway, he turned toward the south and whinnied. I have only heard him whinny, maybe three times before...he's a silent kind of animal. At anyrate, this was the first time I've heard him whinny while I've been on him.
I rode the fat bay from where he had been being kept to Granddaddy's this afternoon. I think it is about 3-4 miles. To start with, he didn't want to leave through the front gate so I had to get off and walk him out and across the road. I figured riding over next to the orange groves would be safer. I was grateful to the people who, when they drove by, slowed down and eased over to a more central position on the road. I didn't have too much problem.
At one point, a guy on a porch hollered at me that the flank strap was dragging. (Not suprising, seeing as I barely got it hooked anyway--Snipper's gotten FAT!) Once I finally realized what he said (it was rather far), I grabbed the strap and stuck it up behind me on the saddle. I also yelled, "THANK-YOU!!" back to him.
Anytime I passed a place where there are horses, Snip almost started dancing. After passing the bridge, which was an adventure in and of it's self, the pony that lives right there literally came galloping up. I had to fight Snip to get him to keep going forward. At one point I kicked him and smacked his rump with the reigns at the same time and he reared up on me (not very far, but enough that it was noticable). I had no problem staying on and after that he moved off like he was supposed to.
Back to the bridge though. I arrived and urged him forward. He would not step on the wood. I got off and lead him out a bit. Once he seemed comfortable, I got back on. The whole time, a car was sitting there, waiting patiently for me to cross. I was quite thankful. (Like as not they were enjoying the show.) After about two steps, a truck comes up (I've seen this truck many times.) Well, Snip starts backing up, even though the truck also stopped. I had to get off again and lead him off the bridge. The man in the truck, on the upper side of 50, I'd guess, asked me who I was. I told him and added, that I was my granddad's grandaughter :) For some reason I had a feeling that he knew Granddaddy. As soon as I told him, he grinned and said, "Oh!" in a very understanding tone of voice and added something like I "should know what you are doing then". I made sure I mentioned that I was still training the booger. I stayed off and calmed Snip while he drove off and the other waiting vehicles (for now there were two) crossed the bridge.
We made it home safely. I grinned like an idiot a couple of times on the ride and I talked to Snip almost the whole time--as much for my nervousness as for his. I was suprised that I wasn't more nervous than I was. Snip...well, it was all new and he was curious...which means he wasn't as well behaved as he might have been. Of course, it surely didn't help that he hadn't been ridden in a week. (At least.)
And what was the weirdest? Well, the fact that half-way up the driveway, he turned toward the south and whinnied. I have only heard him whinny, maybe three times before...he's a silent kind of animal. At anyrate, this was the first time I've heard him whinny while I've been on him.
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