[tuffydoodle]

I’m very proud of Mina today. She did walk/trot/canter, with a saddle, no bucking. She did do a bit of tail-tucked bolting when she first hit that canter but settled down pretty quickly. I expected her to break in two but she didn’t.

I also stood next to her, held on to the saddle and jumped up and down, simulating mounting. She was concerned at first but never moved. Then we went walking around all my Halloween decorations and farm equipment, she never even looks twice at that stuff. It’s a little disconcerting. I think she’s saving the big reaction for when she sees bicycles. They totally freak her out and she panics when she sees one of my kids riding one.

[AnAmericanMother]

MY mare has a thing about wheelbarrows.

It's always something.

Sounds like she's coming along great.

[FrogInABlender]

Wow Tuffy, sounds like Mina has really got a good head on her shoulders. Her fear of bicycles is pretty common I think. Most of mine are pretty scared of them. Ellie's the only one who didn't have some kind of reaction to them the first time she saw one, and she may decide to flip out the next time she sees one. You just never know. I would try to desensitize Mina to them by leading her up to one that's not moving and letting her check it out then give her a treat, then lead her up to one with somebody on it, but still not moving, and let them give her a treat. Then get them to ride away from her slowly and let her follow, then let them stop and her walk up to them and get a treat or a pat. The real biggie is to work your way up to having them ride toward her. I just find that giving a positive association, like a treat, with a scary booger helps them to relax a little bit. When we meet hikers or bikers on the trail I usually stop and let the horse smell them and get a pat or a scratch if the person is willing, and they usually are. Now if they've got a dog with them, that's a whole 'nother story. We just move along in that case.