He's getting so much better on the ground.  I can hug his head, now, and kiss his forehead whenever I want.  He doesn't flinch so much when I reach for or rub his ears, and even when he's afraid, he doesn't react so badly.  He pulls back a bit but he stops when I stop and he's not SO quick to spook or jump.  I'm working on touching his mouth.

He lunges really very well on the longer line.  Going to the left, he will walk and trot when I say, and he will canter....for several loops....without stopping.  I could NOT get him to do this on the shorter line, but on the longer line, he's cantering like it's not a big deal.  I can stand almost in one spot now...very little moving.  He does like to start cantering with a leap or a buck.  I'm working on stopping him when he bucks like that, to teach him that it's not ok.

Going to the right, it's still hard to keep him in a canter for even one complete circle.  He was defiant and difficult and I kept him moving, but I had to move quite a bit, chasing him.  I have to work on keeping him in a canter for longer.

Riding him -- he really, really needs to be ridden.  A lot.  I think.  He needs to be challenged, to go on new trails and up new hills and really explore Griffith Park.  He will walk a bit slower, but he's still very bouncy and unsteady at the trot, and the canter...forget it.  However, he will canter up that big hill.  I think I will start trying to canter him up the hill, then keep him in a canter as we start to go flat.  Next time, I will take him in a canter the whole way up the hill.  

He's amazing.  It really sucks to have limitations with him -- when I'm on him, people cannot stand on his right side and touch him or he starts throwing little nervous bucks.  That's when I decided I had to lunge him.  He's jumpy at the rail.  If the yard is really busy and he gets nervous he won't leave the yard without throwing a few bucks.  

But I still marvel at his capacity to grow, to learn, to calm himself and to come out of his shell.  To be happy again, to be vulnerable and ok with it.  He's teaching me so much more than I'm teaching him -- things about riding, about myself, about horses and people.  About my own capacity to grow and learn, and to improve.  I have improved in so many things since I've had him.  He always challenges me.

I love my horse.

The best way to start something is to actually start it, isn't it?  To finally put down the glass of wine and close that Bloglines browser (oh, so addicting!), and make yourself take the time to do something you've been wanting to do? That's what I'm doing here.    

Here it is, Blogger:  The Scout Report.  I figured it was a pun on my horse's name, or something, since his name is Scout and scouts report on thigs and this is a report that I am writing, sometimes about myself and sometimes about shoes and sometimes about Scout.  See how it all comes full circle?

The general idea behind this blog was to document the progress I have been having/will have with my horse.  When I bought him, he was a terrified, crazy-eyed, 11-year old gelding who had obviously been beaten pretty severely in the past.  I have since spent the past few months working with him to see what he can become with a little kindness and patience from someone who believes in him.  He's been coming along so well  (albeit with some setbacks....damn horse reached over and bit me one day), and I want to ensure that any future milestones are documented.  The idea of having this blog has been gestating in my mind for quite a long time, and finally, now, it's on (virtual) paper.

Plus, I want a place where I can gush about how great the new Star Trek movie is.

I might be a little drunk.  That's probably the best way to introduce your new blog to the world.  

Hello, world!