Maisa's First Carrie Lesson

That's Maisa. He had his first lesson with Carrie today. He kind of looks like he's saying, "I went to Carrie's today. I'm a very good boy. They all thought I was very smart."

In all fairness Maisa is very smart and has a very good mind. Not much bothers him. I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times I've seen him spook. Oh, he's aware, he just looks, doesn't get worried. Goofy Arab, don't you think?

With all the insanity that goes on at the barn in town he stays steady. He hasn't been there much. But he seems to take it in like it was 'Horsey TV'. It is there for his entertainment. Sometimes he'll look over at me, like he's looking for some sort of validation, "Can you believe this? Did I really just see that?"

I hadn't ridden, or done anything with Maisa since Christmas time. I pulled him out of the pasture, loaded him in the trailer and headed up to Carrie's. The first thing I did when we got there was to head for the wash rack. Had to hose most of the mud off of him, well his legs and tummy anyway. After he was sort of clean, I tied him to the trailer and knocked the mud off his neck, chest and face. He at least looked sort of presentable.

We went down the hill to the indoor arena. Ran into Cathy on the way. She looks at him, says he cute, but boy does he look like a baby. Well, he does. He's just one of those late bloomers. She asked if I'd be more comfortable in the round pen on him, and that would be no problem for Carrie. I told her I take him down to lunge, see how he was and go with whatever Carrie suggested.

So we 'gumby' ourselves the rest of the way down to the arena. He's got this loose elastic way of going. Looks like slow motion, with all kinds of supple elasticity to him. (He just smokes way too much dope. Think Shaggy on Scooby Doo).

I hook up the balancing reins (Yes GL....Strangler Reins), and put him to work on the lunge while Carrie is finishing up the lesson before me. He just goes to work. Looking around a little, but pretty good.

After we lunge for a bit, I head down to Carrie. She's looking at him. (He's definitely not Top). She asks, "Who's this?" I say, "This is Maisa Fahim." "Oh, it's your baby. He seems pretty settled. Has he been here before?" I say, "No, this is his first time here." Carrie looks more interested, "Really? He's a very good boy isn't he."

So, we lunge some for Carrie. She has me shorten the lines some, push him up more. And states, "Well, you may not have done much with him, but what you have done is very good. You've done a nice job with him." With just a hint of....now keep going, finish the job!!! She's ever nice, but she gets her point across.

We finish lunging. I'm thinking...'okay we're good. either we're done or heading up the hill to the round pen' Carrie says, "Okay, get on." I just looked at her for a moment. She says, "What, he's fine. Get on." I say, "I haven't even sat on him in a month." (yes I lied. I didn't want her to know I hadn't done anything with him since Christmas). I just pulled him out of the pasture, and hosed the mud off of him. "He's fine, get on." (yeesh, this is becoming a reoccurring theme with her, and my horses).

I lead him over to the rail, and hang the side reins, and lunge line there. Go to get on, and stab him in the side with the toe of my boot. Nice...ever graceful. Stella was there, and asked if she could help. I said, if she could just stand on his offside we'd be fine. She did, he was and off we went.

Maisa went pretty well. Struggles with staying between the lines. He'll bow and against your leg, and run through the outside. We worked on that, it did get better. We ended with trot work. He was going pretty good by the end. I usually just post on youngsters. Easier on them. Well, I was struggling with him falling in and out. So, I sat to try and correct our line of travel. He was in a good sized working trot, heading toward a medium. It took no effort to sit at all. I was shocked. It was soft, easy, forward. I don't need no stinking abs. Pilates, schmilates.

I say, "He is so much easier to sit than Top." Carrie, "It looks great, just sit, he does much better with you sitting, now push up a little more...see how he handles it." OMG....EASYBEANS. How cool is this. The more connected, the more forward, the more forward the easier to sit, and the more connected and through he was. I am SOOOOO pleased.

We talked a bit after my lesson. She is really pleased with his mind. Says he is going to be a really fun horse. I said, I realized he probably wouldn't be 'monster horse on the dressage court', but he'd be really competitive Sport Horse. She said, Sport Horse will be no problem for him. It will be very tough for a little half arab to compete against WB's in open dressage, but we have a shot. It is beginning to really show now. This mind seems to really run true. So far (knock wood) all the Omega Fahim babies have been like this. I think I need another one. lol