Jacob has been under saddle now since the beginning of this year. He was the easiest of his compatriots to saddle, but that does not mean that he was the safest. Jacob is perfectly easy to get along with if you both have the same ideas about what to do, but as soon as you ask him to do something that he would rather not, problems arise.
It first manifested when driving him forward. He felt that he could not move, which resulted in him turning and striking in frustration. Jacob is not a bad horse – he is a sweet boy who does want to do right, but his confusion can turn into what seems like belligerence sometimes.
Kaya has been working with Jacob to support him through his time as a riding horse and facilitate greater understanding of boundaries. Boundaries are key to Jacob’s success. Without them, he runs the risk of falling back on his old patterns of behavior, ones that involved buffaloing humans.
As a riding partner, Jacob is soft and level-headed. He rides well on a loose rein, and under Kaya’s tutelage, is currently working on a soft feel and stopping on two reins. Following a line in a big space, like an arena, is challenging for Jacob at this point because he is still so green, but with more time under his cinch, he will certainly get there. He has already proven himself to be quite brave, going on walks around the property and out on the trails. All in all, Jacob’s future looks bright as a level-headed trail horse.
