For the last 2 days, I have lunged Duster with the saddle on. I have ground drove him and threw the lines around his legs. I have tossed the ropes over his head and saddle. I wave the ropes around his face. Nothing spooks him.
Yesterday, in the indoor arena, I brought Duster over to the mounting block and had him stand still. I jumped up and down on the block. I put my weight over the saddle. I reached over to the opposite fender and slapped it. Then I turned him around, facing the opposite direction while I stood on the mounting block and repeated the jumps and slaps. He was a little buggy eyed, but stayed quiet and stood still.
Today, I took him to the outdoor arena. I threw the rope around his head and legs. I tossed it over the saddle seat so he would hear different noises from the rope. I slapped the stirrups against his sides, making sure to do as much on the off side as the near side. I held the horn and jumped up and down from both sides. I put my foot into the stirrup and stepped up and down.
Tomorrow, I’ll do more of the stepping up and down. I’ll lean across the saddle seat. And I’ll see if Duster will walk off quietly while I’m standing in the stirrup. I want him to stay quiet and not to be scared.
He will be going to the Peter Campbell clinic with me this weekend. I hope I can do enough ground work there for me to be on him, but I’m fine if he is not ready for that.
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