We finally had some nice weather today, and Tim had the day off for President's Day, so we got out to ride Brego & Strider!  I was feeling much more confident on Brego riding past the other horses (behind the fence) and then the cows.  Brego was interested in them, particularly when a couple of the horses ran toward us, but he did what I asked, and kept walking forward (even though his head was turned sideways looking around!).

We went down to Smith Lake, and on the straight part heading east parallel to 66 Tim started gaiting Strider, so we followed along, and for the first time Brego gaited much more smoothly and consistently, and didn't veer off to the right.  Of course, Strider was just ahead and to the right of us, and there was a fence to the right of him, so I'm sure that helped.  That was nice.  After that little run, his gait wasn't as consistent or as smooth, but it's a start.

On the other side of the lake, along 11, Tim suggested that I try to canter Brego.  Once I get him going, he gets nutty and it's hard to control him, but that's just what I have to work on.  I tried the one-rein stop, but wasn't choked down enough on the rein to pull his head over far enough and he wasn't stopping.  That's what I have to learn!  How to choke down farther while riding the out-of-control horse! So, Tim gave me some tips--if I'm turning his head to the left, I can let go of the right rein to grab the left one, then reach down farther with my left hand to get that rein farther down.  It's just so hard to remember all these things in "panic" mode.  At least we were in a nice straight, flat spot with no obstacles!  Eventually I got him to canter a bit in a more controlled spot, which was nice.  We just really need to work on the whole speed control issue.  I need to get his speed up here in the pasture, perhaps, and work on slowing & stopping, over and over again!

While I stood with Strider, Tim got on Brego and worked with him a bit.  Brego was still veering off to the side even for Tim, and Tim had to work at getting him to go straight.  With Tim's experience, all of this is so much easier for him!  He went back and forth several times, both gaiting and cantering to get him under control.  We'll just have to keep working on this!!  

Then we practiced walking home slowly and calmly.  That was good--to get him in the habit of going home that way, rather than speeding up to go towards the barn as many horses do.  He was a bit jittery going past the goats at the dairy.  Later, when we were almost to our road, a truck went by and he perked up and starting running faster.  I thought that was odd, because cars don't usually bother him.  Then Tim pointed out two other horses and riders coming our way just up at the turn.  That's what the horses were reacting to!  Tim made a good point to be more aware of what's going on any time the horses react to something--since I know cars don't bother him, what is it?  (I should look for something else!)

As I thought about Brego's nutty moments, out of control when all I did was ask him to go faster, I wondered about spiritual parallels. Sometimes God asks us to move a little faster, and we go crazy!  "Oh, boy, let's go.  Is it this way?  Is it that way?  I don't want to stop--I'd rather run.  What's that over there?  Let's go over there, or maybe over there.  Now that I'm going I don't want to slow down!"  We need to just stay in control, listen to what He says, and follow Him!