Today happens to mark 4 years since we lost Batt in the most traumatic of ways. I knew we were were approaching the date, but for whatever reason, it caught me completely off guard this morning. I still miss that boy so much. Life was so different back in the Batt days. Easier and harder? It’s hard to explain. Batt days had Subi and Subi, especially in recent years, wasn’t easy. Batt was. Nay, for all his issues (and he has issues) is very, very easy day in and day out. He wants food and his stall and a specific diet and that’s pretty much it.

But, it doesn’t do anyone any good to compare. That said, when we first moved home, I did most of my riding back in my woodlot. The sellers did a decent job cleaning a path/track so I could trot a loop, canter long sides (occasionally canter around if I was brave/the footing was decent/the trees weren’t too overgrown), and pop over some cross rails and poles. Overtime, it got harder to ride back there. Trees fell, scrubs grew, and I just got…bored. Subi was fine (and Batt was Batt), but it was…less fun. I wanted more space. So I found other places. I hauled out and expanded my riding.

Fast forward to now. Nay is coming off more or less… 4 months off. We’re still on steroids but he’s down 100mg (I’m doing this slowly and it’s working to control the ‘roid rage) and we have to start somewhere. I don’t really want to go back to my old program for reason (I can’t really explain it) and as a result, I feel odd just showing up and borrowing the facilities for free. I can haul out to the neighboring state park and use their arenas for parking, but I feel like my horse needs to be in some work before I do that?

Enter: the woodlot.

My husband and I are tirelessly working to make it useable. Actually, we’re working to make it better than before. We’re cutting trees, scrubs, weed whacking, dragging (scheduled), cutting branches), etc.

It’s not flat, the footing isn’t arena footing, but then again, if you ride in a paddock/pasture, that’s not arena footing either.

I haven’t sat on Nay yet. It’s OK. We’re click-treating so far. First time out he was terrified. But the clicker helped. He actually slipped on a rocked while I asked him to move his feet to walked over some poles and fell. Got up and tried to be stupid and fell on his butt again. After that? He was much better.

Second trip in? 100% more relaxed for 80% of our trip. We circled our poles, click-treated, backed, trotted in hand, etc. Then got over stimulated and stressed.

Third trip? Things were even more cleared out and Nay was even more relaxed. We “sort of” lunged (I had a lunge whip but not a full length line) at the walk/trot. Nay worked on understanding the ground (it’s not perfect and there are still ferns and brush) but did great to the left. The right was hard. Cantering (him, not me asking) to the right was a… choice but forward was the preferred option. I click-treated the right answer and eventually he understood the assignment. It was just… hard. Life is hard when you are completely out of shape.

We also trotted out circle of pole (pole at 3-6-9-12) when we’ve just been walking them to the left. Super hard, but he did it. To the right? Today walking them was a struggle (especially when there was something to watch in the distance). So I rewarding the forward (today forward=walk to the right)) and called it a day after that. Nay was tired and a touch sweaty. It appears clipping might be in his future after all.

Anyway, I’m hoping to do a little bit in hand ever day I’m home over lunch. It doesn’t need to be much, just something. If he stays this quiet? Maybe I’ll get on his back soon too. Just walking now. But walking is better than nothing. Slow. Steady. Progress.

Today was the first day that showed no stress. So I’m hoping we can build from there.