Back on the net, new commitment to the blog

I know -- Its been way way to long :(

I haven't updated in nearly a year! Can't beleive I've let it go that long. So much has happened!!

I moved out of home, moved sante to my new house and saw him every day - had to move back home and return sante to his former home, the paradise of Glenworth Valley. We've been doing lots of riding, most of it by ourselves!!

Less than a fortnight ago, we completed second "ride out" since i've owned him - we went to the Snowy Mountains, and rode with the wild brumbies - totally awesome experience.

He can now canter on a circle outside the roundyard - I had to become assertive, and show a lot more leadership than I ever thought i would need - but in the end- his "issue" ended up being dominance, and a knowledge that he controlled the outcome of the game. Once i learnt to beat him at his own game, he found cantering on the circle a lot more fun.

We are now in teh process of changing our focus back to ground work. I've got the feeling that with all the focus I've had on riding, Sante has really lost interest. Our catching game sucks :(

So, I promised him that when we returned from the Snowy, he would get time off, and we would concentrate on nothing but groundplay, and "simulating" rides - that is - long reigning him down the trails, in order to work on his confidence issues.

He's been really argumentative under saddle. In the beginning it was fear & unconfidence, whereas now its just because he plain well doesn't want to!

When we DO start riding, the plan is to give him complete control (within reason) of where we ride - he has the wonderful habit of refusing to walk down a trail without trying to head off into the scrub. SO, I'm goign to start playing the "Sure! We can go that direction.. .. .. but at a trot" game with him - that is - every time he changes direction and goes bush bashing, I allow it, but increase gait to a trot. Hopefully, eventually he'll figure out that its if he wants to walk... stay on the trail!!

Thats still a little way off - I have to do something about our relationship first! I need to change the look on his face from "Oh no" back to "Oh boy!" - Concentrating to much on the riding has really ruined us - but we're about to change all that back!

Onto other stuff - We have learnt to bow! He can even stay down now (only for a second or two), and last weekend, he actually bowed with someone on his back!! How awesome is that!!!

So - I promise to update a lot more reguarly - twice a week!! (although I might bve able to squeeze in more updates since i'm seeing him every day for the next four days.