Training Oakley...

While Tony was training Lucky, Travis saddled up my horse, Oakley. She worked perfectly for Trav with him on the ground and in the saddle. She turns very quickly, spinning on a dime, as the saying goes. This is a concern for me, because I do not need to end up on the ground!

The first picture is one of my favorites of Oakley. It is very seldom that I catch her with her ears forward. Maybe that will change with my new camera. Here's hoping...

In pictures two, three, and four, I was able to catch her in mid-turn. Travis asked Oakley to do figure eights to the right and then to the left, weaved her back and forth, asked her to stop, walked her, loped her, worked on flying lead changes, and backed her up across the pen.

As I watched through the eye of the camera, she moved with grace and agility, making me proud! She was neck reining and then would respond immediately to leg pressure. She has a beautiful stride. Now we need about a hundred more days of her working like this and she will be ready for me to ride!!!

If I didn't have two titanium rods in my back held together with giant wood screws, and in need of another surgery to get rid of a bone spur, I would be on her right now. For now, I get to ride Cahlibur who is a dream to ride. Hey, it's time for another ride out into the desert...