Wizard Session 25: Round and Round

Tuesday 12/23/08

For years and years, I’ve asked for a cavesson and surcingle as a gift. Nobody ever got one for me until now. Mom and Dad finally broke down and ordered them from Dover Saddlery. After I opened them, I had to field a flurry of questions about my strange gear. “How does it work?” “Why can’t you just longe in a saddle and bridle?” “Won’t he look a little like Hannibal Lecter?”

So on Tuesday night, I put my new gifts on Wizard. I was a little concerned that he would be concerned about the big old piece of metal on his nose and the big old piece of leather around his belly, but he was just ducky with both. I even put a quarter sheet on his hind end while he warmed up and he was fine with that as well. Good boy!

I longed Wizard for a few minutes in the cavesson, surcingle, and a bit underneath (with no noseband). I used my KK Ultra. I normally ride in a Myler Comfort Snaffle (D ring) but I think that the KK Ultra is better for longeing and I’d like to eventually ride in it as well.

Once we got some good forward motion, I put VERY loose side reins on him. First, I hand walked him. Then, I longed him. He was actually better on the longe with side reins than he was in hand. I think he felt a little behind the bit when he was being led and the “door” was more open when I was longeing.

After we longed for a little while, I turned him loose and free longed a little bit.

Then, I put him to bed and fed him his good-night Dengie.