Sunday

I get to go see my Siaga. :) First I have to go to the bank and deposit a check and get out some moolah to pay for his dewormer, pay gas money to Jonathons mom, and likely some to pay for the farrier when he comes on June 5 to trim up and balance Siaga's hooves.

I admit I'm really nervous about how its going to go with the farrier. James has little to no problem picking up Siaga's feet, but Siaga hates to pick them up for me. His past experiences with farriers has not been good, and its been a few years since he has had his feet trimmed, since the day my grandpa died, actually. That day was windy, rainy. The farrier was my bosses farrier, and managed to get Siaga's front feet done, but not the back feet.
Before that, Siaga had an experience with a farrier who just -sucked.- Siaga wouldn't stand still for him, and he had a rage moment, grabbed the rope from me, slid it through both side rings of his halter, and under his upper lip. Then, he proceeded to jerk at Siaga, and knocked both front teeth out, granted, they were baby teeth, but I got in and steadied Siaga, let him finish his job, paid him, and never had him back.

I'm hoping they can get it done without having to sedate him, but it is entirely likely that they will have to do just that.

Anyways, Shannon's going to watch and supervise my riding of Siaga, and then I'm hoping that she will allow me the use of a horse so that I can ride a horse that knows what's what. It helps me to stabilize on Siaga when I'm more confident on other horses. I also want to set up some small jumps and trot poles for the other horse, which ever I ride, so that I can do a few small jumps.

I have no doubt that Siaga and I will encounter things he has to jump while on the trail, but I don't want to be getting my first jumping lesson on a horse that's never jumped with a person on it's back.

Since my goal is to be riding Siaga on the trail's by summer's end, it's a lot of work that I have ahead of me, not just brushing up on my own riding and doing things I've never done before but also teaching Siaga. We have a lot of catching up to do, and no time to waste. Such a challenge has two possible outcomes: either we both end up ruined on the process of riding, or we both come out of it hale, whole, and a million times better.

Here's to hoping it's the latter.