First rides

It wasn't long after I came to his new place that my new person did something really strange. One day after she had worked me in the long lines and made me go around and around until she was happy, she took the lines off and snapped the reins back onto my headpiece or bridle.  Then she started to pat the saddle, wiggled the stirrups, bumped them into my sides and all the while I stood like a rock. I didn't know what she was doing or what she expected me to do so I stood very still.

Then she was standing next to me and started trying to climb on me. I turned my head to look at her and let her know I was really confused. She told me it was okay and that I was being a really good pony. I liked that a lot. A few times she put her foot into the stirrup and got up, leaning over my back. I never moved. Then she moved a little more and I felt her other foot in the stirrup on my other side. I still didn't move. She patted me and rubbed my neck, telling me how awesome I am and made all the pretty sounds that tell me I'm doing something right.

Afer a few minutes of standing there, she started to press her legs against my sides, clucking and kissing to me and gently pulling my head from side to side. I wasn't sure what to do so I didn't do anything. I stood completely still and did not move. She kept pressing one leg on my side and turning me one way, then pressing with the other leg and turning my head the other way. I stood there and would not move. I didn't want to do anything wrong.

Soon one of her friends came into the pen with us, took my lead and started walking off. I followed her like a good pony should.  My person started telling me how good I am and making the happy sounds again. When I realized her friend had let go of me, I stopped and stood still.  My person tried to get me moving again, but I wouldn't budge. Her friend took my lead again and I followed her around some more, but she let go again so I stopped. We played this game for a while. She would take my lead, I would follow her and she would let go and keep walking, but I stopped and stood there watching her.

Pretty soon my person stepped down off my back. Only to get right back on, sit there for a few seconds and step down off the other side. Then she would pet me some more and get back on me, sit there and then step down from the other side. I was bored so I just stood there. This made her happy because she kept telling me how good I am and rubbing my neck.

The next day when my person did all of this again, I moved off on my own when she put her legs on me, while clucking and kissing. She made all of the happy noises again. So THIS was what she wanted?!?!?! Easy enough. We walked a little bit this way, stopped, and then walked around that way a few times. This was getting easier, now that I knew I could walk around and she made happy noises.

Soon she stepped down off me and got back on from that side. Here we go again with that. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, instead I think I will take a nap. I don't know if she could see me rolling my eyes. Shhhhh. Don't tell.... lol