Guess what I did tonite! I got on Sonic Boom! Woo hoo hoo!!!!

Does anybody have a saddle that will fit a large sheep?  Boom has a back like a sheep - very flat. :-)  I tried my CSI saddle pad on him and it was just too thick to fit him with the saddle.  I cinched up the saddle and I pulled on the front and back of the saddle and it rolled around him.  Yep, very bad fit.  So I put the thin navajo pad back on and it stayed in place like it should. 

It was another hot humid night, sweat was rolling into my eyes and I got a few horse fly bites!  Ugh!  But it was such a great night!  I did some ground work with Boom then started preparing to get on for the first time.

It was time to get serious......

This picture looks like he is scooting sideways pretty quick, but he isn't.  I got on and off 4 times, and there was only one time he jumped a tiny bit when I dismounted.  Other than that, he would move a few steps, stop and I would get off and take him for a short walk to give him something else to think about real quick.  Then we would do it again....

The stirrups on my saddle are not turned out so I can't just slip my toe in nice and smooth on the right side.  I have to lean over to twist it to put the toe in.  I did not do it this time because he sometimes panics with movement on his right....I have been working on moving back and forth behind him so he can learn what it is like to have something in his vision, then blind spot, then in vision on the other side.  

I am so proud of him!

SEE?  IT WAS NOT THAT BAD!  :-)

Time to take the saddle off.  He just stands there quietly while I get stuff unhooked and secured.

For me the getting on is not the scariest part.  It is the getting off.  Some horses get scared when you start to get off and the right leg swings back to go over their back side.  I am less secure at that point than I am with my butt in the saddle.  Out of the 4 times, it was the 2nd time that startled him when I dismounted, and it was a tiny blip....whew!
He did so good and has come so far.  I am very proud of him!

Gotta go....
Until later.....Karen and Tripp who says he had no problem with me getting on him... :-)