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Kamar wasn’t sure what to do when I first jumped on his bare back. It was a new experience for both of us!

Zum pins his ears back, swishes his tail and refuses to trot in the round pen most of the time. Despite his cranky mood, I am making progress with him. I got him to trot in both directions with me on his back! And he even put his ears forward, a sign that he enjoyed trotting again!

I have never ridden Kamar bareback! I decide I will give it a try! How will Kamar react when I ride him bareback for the first time?

Kamar loves getting my attention. At 27 years old, he feels like my king. When you own and ride a horse for 23 years, as I have with Kamar, this horse is the apple of your eye.

Zum still has a bad temper when he wants to be bossy with me. He pins his ears back, throws his head around, puts his rear towards me, paws his front legs at me and refuses to go where I ask him. But as I stay firm with him despite the chaos he creates with his bad moods, I am experiencing brief instances of positive feelings with Zum daily. I am building on these positive moments. I want more of these in the future.

It really helps to ask myself ‘Where am I now?’ I can look back on my journey with Zum and appreciate the progress and achievements I have made. I have healed my broken bones from my accidents with Zum. And I am overcoming my anxiety problems with Zum. I realize what amazing potential I must have inside. It makes me feel I can solve any problem that comes my way.

Sometimes Zum is anxious and his anxiety tends to direct my attention toward potential dangers and problems outside of me and beyond my control. And because I cannot change what is beyond my control, I feel powerlessness. It takes great effort to shift my focus away from dwelling on the failures of the past and to break through fear towards a vision of future success.

It is always a thrill to ride Zum bareback! I am consistently forging on toward my goals and the fulfillment of my dreams.

I want Zum to stand quietly so he learns to stay calm when I first get on him bareback. I pet his neck and I breathe deeply so he feels that I am relaxed.

With patience, I can get Zum to walk next to the mounting block and stand still. I pet his back to reward him.