Turns out it was a great day even though it did rain and rain. We got to be out in the outdoor arena right before our lesson was scheduled. Lucky Star and I arrived at Kitty Hawk. This is the third place Lucky Star has ever been. It’s a large boarding stable filled with horses, indoor and outdoor arenas and lots of things and other horses to look at. Lucky got out of the trailer and acted like he owned the place.
We looked in the indoor arena before we noticed that Jenny and her lesson had moved to the outdoor arena. Lucky and I walked to the outdoor arena without being in any obvious panic. I would like to add that this is awesome behavior for a horse new to the world beyond his pasture. He still gets excited being in the trailer. It makes him nervous. We drove for a lot longer time than it takes us to get to Pine Dell. Still he got out and is in his “thinking” left brain.
We get to play in the outdoor arena. I lug his saddle and saddle pad to the outdoor arena. Usually, saddles are carried from the trailer to the place of business by the horse, not the human. But I had never saddled Lucky Star.
As soon as I got back in the arena, it started to rain and a kind hearted person lugged the saddle into the indoor arena for me. I was attached to the horse and was only able to carry the saddle pad.
Lucky and I played a little bit until it was time for his lesson with Jenny. I got settled into my chair and enjoyed my learning lesson.
She tested out his grumpy spots. He wasn’t showing her his grumpy spots as he had a lot of distraction. She got on the mounting block and pressed herself on his back. He then displayed his irritation (ears back) at that. She worked it thru. She was pretty certain that he was not used to people using his back without a saddle being on it. It felt really weird to him.
She saddled Lucky Star without any negative reaction at all and resumed her activity at getting on his back from the mounting block. He had no reaction at all.
She played most of the seven games with him.She got to the circle game and Lucky Star gaited around her.
Jenny then told us that he was gaited up the whaazooo. That’s what we gaited horse people say when the horse displays a natural talent and performs the signature gaits, naturally. We clutch our hearts and say, WOW.. When it’s an awesome display of the natural gait, we exclaim, “He’s gaited up the whaaahoo!” I’ve never known how to spell whaazoo, but that’s what it sounds like.
She explained that he appears to be giving his hindquarters when she asked for a turn on the forehand, but there was resistence from his body. She said that it might be because he is so gaited that his body is built to go forward, not flex like a ballerina (the ballerina word is my interpretation).
She ended the lesson getting on him. She got up and stood in the saddle many times on both sides. By this time Lucky Star was fixated on looking out the door of the arena. Jenny got a little frustrated because he was in a zone and was totally ignoring her. She thought if she got on him and then he decided to become aware of her again, he might be startled to find her sitting on his back. We don’t like the thought of startling a horse that we’ve never been on. It makes us anxious.
Finally, Lucky Star’s brain came back into the arena and became aware of Jenny. She hopped up on him and sat there. He didn’t move a muscle.
Both Jenny and Dr. Patrick Handley pronounced him to be an left brained introvert. He did show some playful behavior and willingness to move forward into our human space. But in actuality, he’s not a fan of forward movement. It takes quite a bit of effort to keep him going in the circle game.
Jenny handed him back to me. “I like him very much. He’s very confident. He’s able to keep his left brain in stressful situations and think things through. This will serve him very well in his journey. Don’t let him walk into you at all. Don’t tolerate any rude behavior”