Victory is mine, and so is the failure

Well and so, Siaga and I had several victories today, and one loss.

Victory 1: After much spiraling around and around, I got Siaga semi-used to standing by me on the chair. So when we finally got tacked up (second time around, had a heat-exhaust attack the first try) I was able to very easily get up there.

Victory 2: Siaga stood tied. Yes, he's 7. Yes, that is something he should have been taught a very long time ago. I tried, I really did, but it never worked out very well. But somehow, today, he stood tied while I tacked him up and held his head up while I put the bridle on! It was nice.

Victory 3: We successfully backed up with minimum contact on the reins. I simply "sponged" my hands on the reins, and he tucked his head and backed up.

Loss: The saddle has to go back. It fits him better, in width, than the western I have, but it has somehow managed to rub the hairs on his shoulders in the wrong way, even though I put the saddle on a little forwards and scooted back like one is supposed to, and he kept giving me little crow hops when asked to move forwards.

So now I'm going to look for a Wintec 500 Dressage saddle with the gullet system.

Also, although it's not set in stone (as I have learned that focusing on one thing too often leads to much despair if it doesn't work) I am planning on taking lessons in dressage and working in a barn, with the intent of taking everything I learn in my lessons back to Siaga and starting him on dressage. And then, I called the art school I went to today to see how many transferable credit hours I have, and I have like 60-something, so I will be able to transfer to Findlay if I want, so I might try to go next fall and take Siaga with me. I would probably be going for the english/dressage program.