June 19th... I left Journey saddled at the hitching post while I watched Encore's fly spray session. She was quiet and content. She is getting used to the pigs a little more each day.
After half an hour or so of standing around, I mounted up and rode her around the yard a little, working on sidepassing and giving vertically. She needs some reminders after all her down time.
When we finally made it into the arena I discovered the steers are a huge issue. We moved them to the paddock Journey started in, which adjoins the arena. She is terrified of the steers and doesn't like to go near them.
So I circled her around near the steers, made her face them, rest by them, etc. Then we went off to the opposite end of the arena, w/t/c, working on giving vertically and some sidepassing too. I worked her pretty hard, then rested her as close to the steers as she would go.
I intend to have someone move the steers into the arena with an experienced horse...and Journey will learn to work the cows. The best way to get her over the fear of them is to boost her confidence - nothing will do that like a steer running from her!
I usually work my horses with the arena gate open. It's great to tempt them to leave. I hate a horse that stops, slows down, or darts at the gate, so an open gate just gives me one more thing to work on to get a solid riding horse in the long run.
Today, Journey tried to leave every time we got near the gate. She really hasn't done this before. I'm thinking the anxiety from the steers has taken away any comfort she had in the arena, and she was looking for an escape route.
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