We restarted saddle work with Tiara last week. She is continuing to build her confidence and trust in herself and in us.
Slow and soft is the key to this mare. Ask softly, wait and wait some more. Eventually, her head will drop, she will blink and lick and chew and she will give you her best try. I can see a path toward her becoming a brave mare, a safe mare, sensitive to a thought and with a world of trust. Katie is helping me stay on that path, bringing a big heart that truly loves this little mare and wants to see her succeed.
Tiara still comes into the arena on the ground with apprehension. We ask her to play with us at liberty and she relaxes. We ask her to park please so we can mount and she generally can within one or two tries. When uncertain, she will freeze. That happens less often in the arena now, but still happens when we ride her out of the arena. That is OK. Where there is no force, there is no resistance and we are convincing her day by day, experience by experience, that we can be trusted.
Seeing Katie and Tiara out in the field looking relaxed makes my day.