Trust

Like in any relationship trust is key to it thriving, and that is no different when it comes to the relationship you have with your horses! I trust Mystic with my life. He has proven over and over again how reliable and sensible he is. No matter what situation I am in with him I never feel as if I am in danger and am never scared. I could fall off him two days in a row and it would not change anything. We have that relationship that would be pretty hard to change. I LOVE being able to get on every single day and not have to worry that oh he might not like that, that might spook him, or I didnt get to ride the last two days I better lunge him first. I LOVE being able to hop on bareback and bridleless even if he has had a week off and have a super fun low key ride. I dont worry about the construction going on right outside the half wall of the arena or the dogs running right up behind him. There really is no better way to end your day then going out to the barn knowing you will have the same horse every day and knowing before you get on you will have a productive and nice ride no matter what I chose to do.

Schooling indoor trail course

Bridleless at the beach

Jumping bridleless

Hanging out at a show

My chair :)

Since getting Tolo back I have had to go back and start building the trust between us. He had to learn to trust that I was going to guide him and keep him safe and I had to learn to trust that he wasnt going to dump me at the slightest noise or take me out because I walked up on his blind side. We are into our 3rd week undersaddle and I feel like we have reached that place already! Just like it was before I sold him. I get on him and he feels so relaxed and calm, a complete 180 from the first day I got on when he felt like a total ticking time bomb (and that was after lunging for 20 minutes in side reins!). We walked around on the buckle with the arena door open and people outside the half wall walking around. We then had a super nice relaxed lazy ride. All the anxious energy from the first week is gone. He walks on the buckle stretching down instead of carrying his head straight up in the air and going straight to work instead of going around looking like some sort of llama giraffe creature for the first 10 minutes. He stays standing in the wash rack without being tied up to get groomed, tacked up, hosed off and overall is a total love to be around. It definitely isnt the same as what I have with Mystic but if I am being honest not many people in this world get a horse like Mystic in their lives. Everyone says they feel bad for the horse that takes over for him when he retires :) I feel so blessed to have such nice horses!

Ignore my yucky position!

Our first real working ride outside (this was on Sunday) since I got him back

Handsome boy!