Rupert wears a surcingle

Rupert(Routinier/Pointmaker) next to his mom Pueonui (Pointmaker/Tanzer/Einblick)

Today was the Day, July 21,2009. I took Rupert in the round pen and did some preliminary round pen exercises. I free lunged him first to get out any excess energy. Then put him on the line and did the "Lunging for respect", Disengaging the HQ, Moving the 4 hand. Backing. Then tightening the lead around his belly, sawing the lead back and forth down his barrel. Putting the surcingle on both sides. Then I put the surcingle on and tightened it enough so it would not come off. I managed to step back pretty far, with him still on the 24 foot lead when he took off bucking. The second buck and his hind leg kicked the gate wide open. In 4 more strides he was half way across the arena. It was all happening so fast. I am sending the message to my feet to run for the gate at the same time seeing images of Wondermann ( 6 years ago) on his first saddling busting right out the gate and getting stuck under a low tree branch and finally breaking the western cinches and getting free. I dropped the lead and bolted for the gate. I could hear him coming on behind me. The unmistakable 4 hoof landing followed by a moment of air time between it. Out the gate I ran, slamming it just in time and thrusting my Handy stick in his face to keep him back. He continued on for a few more bronc type bucks and then stopped.

I vaguely recall hearing my neighbor exclamation of surprise as I was dashing for the gate. He is a blurr standing by his gate with his "english bulldog named Hula". I yell across the road "Rupert's first saddling" I must be good source of entertainment for the neighborhood. No wonder he often says when he comes to pet them "I love them but there so big and scary"

I returned to the arena and proceeded to work on all his exercises without incident. Clinton Anderson recommended the first day of saddling that the colts wear their surcingle for the rest of the day. This is not something I ever have done before but Rupert did not mind and grazed and slept under the Koa tree for the remaining 5 hours with the surcingle on. It worked as the next 2 days he has done nothing when saddled, just like a pro he is. Yesterday he was in the main arena lunging for respect and doing fairly good even though he was a bit more excited in the bigger more open area. In the video below Mom and Dad had just missed the first saddling episode by less than 5 minutes. The video is taken at 5 minutes from the first surcingle application. Kinda like a milestone in your kids life. :)