Last year around my birthday we went to team sorting practice, and it was one of the best days of my life. This year was pretty close too. We just got back from sorting practice again, except this year it was just myself and my husband- the wonderful babysitter kept the kids at home while we had a night out. Tex has improved so much compared to last year, and I've improved a little bit. Tonight we arrived early so that we could spend some arena time with Tex and Jethro (husband's new roping horse.) Tex was very calm and laid back during the warm up, and I felt comfortable enough to lope him around. He was still leaning on my hand a lot when I was turning him, but that improved a tiny bit through the night. I realized that there are many times that I forget to release when he's done the right thing, especially in a place like that when I'm a little nervous.
Right as it was time to start, the rain began, and it was such a neat experience to be in the saddle, on MY OWN horse that (mostly) I trained, with friends around, hearing rain on the tin roof, seeing the rain through the dusk light, and feeling the mist from the raindrops coming off the edge of the covered arena.
I rode Tex the entire night, and we must have made 7 runs, some of them with husband and Jethro. Tex was turning quicker, coming off the cows quicker, and responding a tiny bit quicker. I'm most proud of myself, I guess, for actually holding the line, being a little more aggressive, and paying closer attention to where the cows and other team members are.
Between runs, I worked a little on Tex's flexing, shoulder control, and side passing. He seems to be getting pretty good at those things, except the shoulder control.
I can't take all the credit, though- as an update, I did recently in March 2012 send Tex for 30 days to Cody Redditt, a trainer in Zachary, and he helped a lot with getting Tex over the hill on his shoulder control. I was stuck on the uphill struggle with no idea of what to do to help work through that. Cody said that Tex won't ever be a very quick, cutting-type horse, but that he didn't offer to buck or act up at all, and that he would be a very good kid's horse. But that's another story for another time.
Tonight's warm, rainy team sorting fun was very memorable. It may have been the first time I've ever been on a team that got a time, and it was the first time I've ever successfully helped "hold the line."
What a great date and birthday present from my hubby!
TM
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