Update 10/31/09 *15th Ride*

When we got home from quad riding today, I decided to saddle up Ace again for his 15th ride. While everyone else was unloading the quads, I saddled, booted and groomed Ace. He did really well, his ears would flicker, listening to the quads and me, but I saddled and got on easily.

I worked on side passing and two tracking, so far he is side passing well to both directions and two tracking to the left well but is still somewhat sticky to the right. Tomorrow I will work some more on body suppling and evening up his sides. He is getting really comfortable at the lope now, and is moving out well and keeping his head level.

His transitions are getting very smooth, at first every time I asked him to change from a lope to a trot, he would just stop. Same thing happened when we would slow from a trot to a walk, he would shut down and stop. I started focusing on just dropping down a gear and he is doing great. As for our transitions up, he is very smooth, keeps his head level, and does not get chargey.

After I was done, I unsaddled him and threw him in the trailer with Hope, our four month old foal. I just wanted him to get used to having other horses in the trailer with him. They both did really good.

While I had hope out I tied her to a post and hopped on Ace bareback. (This is his second ride bareback) I made sure he was listening to me and walked over to Hope. I untied her from his back and started ponying her. (I ponied Trust, one of my mares, off him recently as well.) She was hopping all over, but he never acted up. He even drug her a little when she decided she was done walking lol. Three times she reared up and "mounted" him from behind, I thought for sure he would shoot forward and spook, but he never even lifted his head LOL.

When I was done ponying, I open the arena gate and walked them in. From his back I undid her halter and turned her loose. She took off running, and he just waited for his next instructions from me. I walked him over to where Trust was locked in eating some extra alfalfa, and opened the smaller gates and hooked him open from his back. This was the first time I had opened the smaller gates from on top of him. These gates are a little more difficult because I have to have very good control of his whole body to position him perfectly to be able to reach the latches. He did excellent and lined up with the gate easily.

He constantly surprises me with how well he handles new and potentially scary experiences. I am so happy with him =]