On Horseback!

Looking handsome!

And finally...I remembered to take my camera out of my pocket and ask somebody to get a photo :)

Amigo practicing direct rein head turns from the saddle with the bit - please excuse how awkward I look...

Amigo and Jericho did great today. Jericho especially. He's basically ready to go. Amigo's still got a little bit of cleaning up/review of his commands from the ground and in the saddle, and needs some more time walking around on a lead rope in the yard before he'll be able to be ridden in the yard and ready to go to his new home.

The new mustangs are doing really well. Bambi, Ginger, and little Timmy are all working on targeting their different body parts. Bambi really likes getting her withers scratched... Very cute. Momma June is doing well too. We introduced the guider ball to her today and she's already walking up and holding her nose to it like a pro. The only one who hasn't really made progress is Greta. We had to go back to Task 1, relaxed handfeeding, since she was getting agitated and started threatening and chomping at the air when we worked with her. It seemed a lot like situations where fearful dogs go up to strangers who are offering them food and bite them instead of taking the food -- which often happens because the dog wants the food, but once it gets that close and has a second to think, it's over threshold and feels like it has to bite the scary person. We're going back and going more slowly this time, playing what Heather told me is called the "Happy Face" game. Greta gets fed every time she's looking at me with both ears perked up - looking happy. It seems to be helping, but slowly. She will still pin her ears back as she is moving away after taking food, but in most of our sessions, she starts pinning her ears less and less as the session goes on. Hopefully progress is being made. She hasn't showed her teeth and flattened her ears since we've gone back to just asking for happy, relaxed handfeeding. Pat gets back on Friday and will be able to help clarify and set us straight if we're doing something wrong :)