I went against all advice and rode..

So yesterday I was going to try the new pinchless bit I got and see how he moves in it. I have come to find out a lot of new things about Memphis that we had previously worked through:

1.) Wants to move when mounting. We had worked on this and he was standing like a champ before I got pregnant.

2.) Not trying to get away from the saddle when saddling. Again, worked on this one too and had it all figured out.

3.) Not moving once mounted. I had him standing like a champ after mounting a few months ago.

And he had developed a new habit:

1.) Trying to bite me while under saddle.

The biting thing is brand spanking new. Never had him do this before. He only did it when we were riding on the road to get to the forest. I couldn't figure out what he was doing at first and thought something was bothering him. After ruling everything out, I can only come to the conclusion he was trying to bite. Jerk. I started hitting him with my foot if I could reach, hitting him in with the lead rope, or just plain smacking him. Problem is, I didn't catch it in the begining and so it kinda developed into something a little nastier than I wanted. I'll have to work that out whenever I do get back into riding hardcore.

Other than that, he did like the bit and did move well in it. I think some of his problem is he doesn't want to do what I say. He did shake his head a little but nowhere near like he was in the other bits. He also didn't have any sores on his mouth when we were done. Good boy.

My worry with him though, is he has a BIG motor. A couple times when we stopped to wait for the others to catch up I noticed he was breathing super fast. And when we moved out again he would go right back into the fast as all get out flat walk/run walk with a few racks thrown in there.I held him back the entire ride since I didn't want him to injure himself by wanting to flat out go the entire time.

Now, I will say that his calling in life is trails. This horse turned into a totally different horse on the trails. No more trying to bite me, his ears perked forward, very ready to just go down the trail, and responsive to *most* things. I might look into endurance riding with him once I can ride again, something I think he would do very very well at.

I know he is going to be sore today, but he's got until almost April off. Then we will work through a whole crapton of issues that I had already worked through. Mounting being a large one. I will admit I got frustrated with him and the mounting thing. I chalk that up to the pregnancy thing.

Other than that, he is a good boy. He just has some attitude under saddle that will need to be addressed.