As much experience as I’ve gained over the years, starting young horses under saddle is not something I’ve done much of. And since Enzo is a horse who tends to lack confidence in himself, I really wanted to make sure his first rides would help instill more confidence in him, not shake what little bit he had. And so, because we ALL need help along this journey, I enlisted the expertise of Terry and Lisa Schott, who have started MANY horses before, to give him a solid beginning. The decision was not easy! Enzo hasn’t lived anywhere besides my back yard since he was six months old, and I wasn’t eager to ship him off anywhere. Still, I knew this was the best decision for him (and the future me who will be riding him!), and arrangements were made to have him stay in Ohio after Nationals to begin the next chapter in his life.
Two short weeks later I made my first trip down to visit and see his progress, and I could not have been more thrilled! Not only was I able to see a demonstration of his work in lines and under saddle, Lisa was certain enough of him to hand me the lines, and even encouraged me to take a quick spin on his back – my first time sitting on Enzo! Even better, he was calm, quiet, and dare I say confident in himself and his work.
I’m thrilled with this exciting start, can’t wait to see what the next few weeks will bring, and very thankful for our fabulous “village” for helping to turn Enzo into the fabulous horse we know he’ll be!
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