Elk, Meet Arena

So, because I didn't want Nathan to roam the streets of Redmond for eight hours while I was at work, but yet I wanted him to meet Elk, and not on a weekend when I wanted to take a trail ride off the property, I had to leave work in Redmond, drive home to Bend, then drive back THROUGH Redmond to get to Shar's house, about as far from my work as my house is but in the complete opposite direction.  Oh well.  Probably won't do that too many times.

Anyway, so I'd told him we were going to the pumpkin patch, but he didn't even notice me pass the turnoff and continue on to Crooked River Ranch.  He only questioned it when I pulled into Shar's house.  I introduced him to Elk and told him I would most likely be buying her, and he said, "Oh."  A man of few words, that one.

I lunged her as usual, then got on her in the round pen.  That got boring fast, so we headed to the arena, with Shar's help and encouragement.  Elk was NOT a fan of the green metal fence panels leaning against the outside of the arena.  So it became a "game" of getting her to go a little closer to the panels on each time around the arena (which also had plenty of other "interesting" areas in her brain, so of course my nerves were on edge), then stopping near them and asking for another step closer, etc.  She was fairly brave, and I sort of calmed down a bit, too.  :-)  She also didn't like Nathan lurking near the arena, but did pretty well, considering all the new-ness, the fact she's not a fan of confinement when riding, AND that it was dusk.

We went back to the round pen so Nathan could ride her a bit.  First, I held onto the lead rope, then I "led" without actually holding the rope.  She can be stubborn, so she didn't really go for Nathan unless I was directing the parade.  Oh well.  He won't be riding her much, if ever.

Pretty successful evening, but the real test will be tomorrow--first trail ride!!