Shadow Picture From After I Lunged Him

I decided to lunge Jet today instead of riding him. I am still feeling really sick and just didn't have the energy to ride.

I brought him up, after getting him ready, and let him dniff around the ring for a bit. I gave him a few minutes to himself, thinking he was going to roll, but he didn't! Then I walked in with the luunge line and whip. He decided that free lunging would be more fun and I was perfectly fine with that as long as he listened to me. I started by using my voice commands and positioning myself infront of him, behind him, etc. to see if he knew how to watch my body language. He was very iffy and confused at first but as time went on he got the hang of it. I asked him to trot and BAM! He was off like a shot gun! He needed to get his bouncies out apparantly (which I thought he would need to) and he was bucking and galloping and having a good old time!

After he settled down, I got back to work. I had him trotting for a little bit, then walking, halting, then a small canter (maybe once around, if that) to see if he knew the voice commands for everything. He knows everything fairly well! I was very proud of him! After going for a while in each direction I walked him out even though he was only a wee bit warm. I worked on his ground manner. This is my space, not yours. Thank you very much... We worked on halting square, staying at my shoulder, etc.

I am going to work on this everyday so hopefully I can take him to shows this year even if it is just an In-Hand class. I really want to get him off the property and into new places to get him used to it again. Since he was a race horse, he was everywhere and anywhere in the busiest times of day. He raced right next to a highway for goodness sakes! Hopefully going to new places will be a walk in the park. Hopefully...

Tomorrow I am planning to ride him as soon as I get home from school. I don't plan on doing much, but just slowly getting him back into the swing of things and getting him back into the lifestyle of a working horse vs. a very happy pasture pal that he was before. He is still very happy and is spoiled by everyone! He is just in work too! hehe. I think he enjoys having a job though... I really do. I hope to find what he wants to do this year and follow that path. I don't want to make him into anything he is not, can't be, or just doesn't want to be. Only time will tell what path we travel down together. Can't wait to find out!

Sincerely, Em and Jet!