Kitari
Well-Known Member
I rode Red today, it was our first official ride after what is now known as "The incident" (insert ominous music) For those who managed to miss the episode refer to "Where's my horse?"
Anyway for those who have finished the back story or already knew it, here is the update.
I started off riding her for a short bit in my backyard, getting a feel for her and her mood. Was she going to be twitchy? Witchy? An angel? This that patty wack? I didnt know. I had just punched some holes in my leathers, and they felt perfect, they were not near as short as I had them during The Incident. So in comfort and feeling secure I putzed her around the yard. She felt good, a bit lazy but good, she walked and trotted fine, but to my dismay after a trotting session my saddle slid forwards! I got off and fixed it and to my even bigger dismay, I discovered the girth i was using was slowly losing its shape and returning to straight once more. I knew it was only a matter of time and was stalling before getting an anatomical girth but still, I was hopeful that it would well last longer since it kept that shape for years (albiet it was sitting unused during that time) Anyway, I fixed it and decided to go ahead and head out on a trail ride.
O...M...G...
The only way I can discribe it is, "who took my horse and replaced it with this huge bundle of nerves that didnt want to listen to me?!"
It was horrid, absolutely horrid. Ive never felt so frustrated riding her, ever. It was like she turned into a miniature Poco only in some ways worse the moment we entered the hay field. She pig rooted, backed up, and I mean backed up, she flung her head without me ever touching the reins, side stepped, turned into a fish almost touching her flank. She was horrible. I would make it a couple steps then start the process over again. Then upon figuring out that wouldnt get her, her way she started jigging. She NEVER jigs, ever! But I was bound and determined to not leave the hay field on anyone's terms but my own. So I fought the battle, fought tooth and nail to make each step count. Kept her from trotting off willy nilly by the skin of my teeth because I knew* that if I didnt she would pull another of The Incident, and frnakly I dont NEED another Incident, I dont need her to get into the mindframe that she can repeat it for the response she wants.
I manage to get to the midpoint in one piece and still on my horse. I had planned on taking her out and trotting her in the same area she bucked me off at, but with how she was acting I ixnayed it with simply leaving the area as uneventfully as possible. And that alone was a battle. Verbal cues and seat cues did not get her attention and I hate hanging onto her mouth. Soo another tactic came into play, every time she troted off or started to jig her head came to my knee, alternating each side with each time she did it. I cant tell you how many times we repeated this until it slowly clicked in her mind, so she toed the line, barely and walked. We walked towards home, and away constantly, making her stay at the walk or else (head to knee) and she slowly go the concept. But the moment, and I mean the EXACT moment her feet touched the road and out of the hayfield, she calmed down. No jigging, no fighting me, NOTHING and heavens knows I was a ball of over tight nerves at the time.
So I enjoyed a nice walk back towards home. But darn it I didnt want it to end this way, was she walking nicly because we were headed home? or was it really the hay field itself as the trigger point? I needed to know.
So we came upon the drive way and Red wavered towards it, but I corrected her gently, she hesitated slightly inconfusion, then did a horsey shrug and kept on walking. That was it, no fighting to go home nothing. I took her into the property next to our house. I generally dont ride there, Ive ridden Red more times in the hay field than I have on this property. I just dont like to, it was Red's first ever scary place that she was exposed to, but I never liked riding in there anyway. So we go up there, up the hill at a nice controlled walk. away from home, nice and controlled. towards home, nice and controlled, up the rode, again nice and controlled. So I asked her to trot. She off she goes, she was perfect, not a hint of anxiety, nothing. Just perfect.
The entire ride in that area she had 1 omg moment and that was the dog Shiloh playing in the tall grass then running up behind her, but once she recognised him she was great. Made our way home, on a loose rein, calm, o fuss, worked her some more at home before putting her up.
I mean yea it ended on a good note, but I am sooo dissapointed about the ride. It took me so long to get her comfortable in the hay field and now its like that hard work went right out the window. Now I have to start over and break it up into sections. I know I should be thrilled she did great otherwise, but still...
I dont have pictures of in the hayfield, but I do have pictures of in the other area, the road we trotted down, some hills that you cant really see (it dips down then goes up in a steepish but short ditch in some areas) and the sunset
Anyway for those who have finished the back story or already knew it, here is the update.
I started off riding her for a short bit in my backyard, getting a feel for her and her mood. Was she going to be twitchy? Witchy? An angel? This that patty wack? I didnt know. I had just punched some holes in my leathers, and they felt perfect, they were not near as short as I had them during The Incident. So in comfort and feeling secure I putzed her around the yard. She felt good, a bit lazy but good, she walked and trotted fine, but to my dismay after a trotting session my saddle slid forwards! I got off and fixed it and to my even bigger dismay, I discovered the girth i was using was slowly losing its shape and returning to straight once more. I knew it was only a matter of time and was stalling before getting an anatomical girth but still, I was hopeful that it would well last longer since it kept that shape for years (albiet it was sitting unused during that time) Anyway, I fixed it and decided to go ahead and head out on a trail ride.
O...M...G...
The only way I can discribe it is, "who took my horse and replaced it with this huge bundle of nerves that didnt want to listen to me?!"
It was horrid, absolutely horrid. Ive never felt so frustrated riding her, ever. It was like she turned into a miniature Poco only in some ways worse the moment we entered the hay field. She pig rooted, backed up, and I mean backed up, she flung her head without me ever touching the reins, side stepped, turned into a fish almost touching her flank. She was horrible. I would make it a couple steps then start the process over again. Then upon figuring out that wouldnt get her, her way she started jigging. She NEVER jigs, ever! But I was bound and determined to not leave the hay field on anyone's terms but my own. So I fought the battle, fought tooth and nail to make each step count. Kept her from trotting off willy nilly by the skin of my teeth because I knew* that if I didnt she would pull another of The Incident, and frnakly I dont NEED another Incident, I dont need her to get into the mindframe that she can repeat it for the response she wants.
I manage to get to the midpoint in one piece and still on my horse. I had planned on taking her out and trotting her in the same area she bucked me off at, but with how she was acting I ixnayed it with simply leaving the area as uneventfully as possible. And that alone was a battle. Verbal cues and seat cues did not get her attention and I hate hanging onto her mouth. Soo another tactic came into play, every time she troted off or started to jig her head came to my knee, alternating each side with each time she did it. I cant tell you how many times we repeated this until it slowly clicked in her mind, so she toed the line, barely and walked. We walked towards home, and away constantly, making her stay at the walk or else (head to knee) and she slowly go the concept. But the moment, and I mean the EXACT moment her feet touched the road and out of the hayfield, she calmed down. No jigging, no fighting me, NOTHING and heavens knows I was a ball of over tight nerves at the time.
So I enjoyed a nice walk back towards home. But darn it I didnt want it to end this way, was she walking nicly because we were headed home? or was it really the hay field itself as the trigger point? I needed to know.
So we came upon the drive way and Red wavered towards it, but I corrected her gently, she hesitated slightly inconfusion, then did a horsey shrug and kept on walking. That was it, no fighting to go home nothing. I took her into the property next to our house. I generally dont ride there, Ive ridden Red more times in the hay field than I have on this property. I just dont like to, it was Red's first ever scary place that she was exposed to, but I never liked riding in there anyway. So we go up there, up the hill at a nice controlled walk. away from home, nice and controlled. towards home, nice and controlled, up the rode, again nice and controlled. So I asked her to trot. She off she goes, she was perfect, not a hint of anxiety, nothing. Just perfect.
The entire ride in that area she had 1 omg moment and that was the dog Shiloh playing in the tall grass then running up behind her, but once she recognised him she was great. Made our way home, on a loose rein, calm, o fuss, worked her some more at home before putting her up.
I mean yea it ended on a good note, but I am sooo dissapointed about the ride. It took me so long to get her comfortable in the hay field and now its like that hard work went right out the window. Now I have to start over and break it up into sections. I know I should be thrilled she did great otherwise, but still...
I dont have pictures of in the hayfield, but I do have pictures of in the other area, the road we trotted down, some hills that you cant really see (it dips down then goes up in a steepish but short ditch in some areas) and the sunset
