Wendy's first ride

I lunged her in the big arena until I got the play out of her and then I jumped up and down next to her until she would stand still. I like to jump on them bareback first and just lay over them and she didn't seem to mind so I took her into the barn and saddle her. I took her out the round pen and put the driving lines on her, I taught her to turn on the panels with a light pull. Once I could turn her both direction and she figured out to follow her nose, stop and back she was ready to step up on. She is such a sweetheart I figured I could get this done by myself and when I stepped up and sat in the saddle she look back at me with a calm look in her eye, I pet her on the neck and she leaned into my hand hoping for a good scratching. Feeling confident she didn't mind me on her I let her wounder around the pen until she decided she needed more scratching and started to lean into the panels, I had to turn her away to save my leg from being mashed. I got her walking both direction with ease, I had gotten a little too relaxed when she suddenly stop and shook, I fell forward on her neck with my feet in her flank, she jumped forward startled but settled down as soon as I was up right and talking to her. I got her guiding around the pen both direction again but feeling a little foolish for almost falling off her at a walk, I figure that was enough for the first ride. As I step down she lean into me for more scratching. We both can't wait until she sheds out her winter hair. It was such a beautiful day I gave her her first real bath. She has always come up to the fence wanting to be sprayed with water while we rinse off the other horses and I think she enjoyed finally being the center of my attention.