Back to Work Schedule

Walker and I finally have a back to work schedule.  We decided that the best thing to do was to tranquilize him with just a mild tranquilizer and turn him out alone for a couple days to get some energy out.  The first day he was really good, so I don't think I'm going to bother with the tranquilizer when I go to ride him, but I've been given the ok to lunge him a little bit before I ride just in case.

His current exercise schedule is: turn out for a couple days alone, turn out with the herd (this will be his first intro to the new herd), and meanwhile I am starting to lunge him this week for a couple days.  I'm hoping to hop on his back for the first time later this week.

The vet has also given me a much needed excuse to create the ultimate spreadsheet because of her generously detailed instructions on tranquilizer, turnout, lunging, and riding. I really quite like her. Completely for free, she pretty much designed Walker's entire back to work schedule, and I merrily skipped off to make a colour coded spreadsheet I could post up in my apartment.

Tonight was the first night that I lunged him, and I must say that I think he has forgotten how to lunge.  Well, I'm pretty sure he hasn't forgotten, but he's kind of got that "Make me!" attitude going on.  He was a little high, of course, and spooked a couple times at some weird noises, including when the wind blew some plastic wrap.  For the first time ever, he actually broke in on the circle when he spooked which, despite being both dangerous and disrespectful, was so uncharacteristic of him.  Because I have to be careful not to overdo it on the lunge line, I couldn't really lunge the bejesus out of him for any of his naughty moments like I would have liked.

Right now I'm shooting for our first ride being Wednesday, although more realistically Thursday or even later since I can't go out and lunge Monday or Tuesday.  If he manages to get his manners back sooner rather than later, then I will ride sooner rather than later. Until then, naughty pony needs a bit of an attitude adjustment, and while I do believe he will pull himself together quickly enough, I intend to make sure of it!