I guess the title is a spoiler alert but if it's not enough- the lesson did not go the way I had hoped. The rides leading up to the lesson had been really good. So I was expecting the lesson to go well too. Not like 'we are ready for our grand prix' but along the lines of 'here's what you should be working on'.
It started off fine enough and then Carmen began to be tight and tense in the far corner (by the woods). The same corner that she had been drawn to the ride before. But she wasn't being really tight, something along the lines of a 6/10 on the Carmen scale. Shanea was having me flex her to inside and outside to get her supple and listening.
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Anyway, we were riding down along the far corner and then she spooked. A big one but not so bad and then a switch flipped and she was bolting to the other side of the ring. I had nothing in terms of brakes or steering.
Shanea was videoing and you can see the start of it (turn on the volume if you want a laugh).
Carmen ran up to the other side of the ring and, for a minute, I thought she was going to run through the fence. But she did a bouncing stop and shot off in the other direction. I had a moment of 'oooh I stayed on'. I finally got her into a circle and then got her to a stop. I jumped off and we did some lunging. I'm not going to lie- my heart had been in my throat and it took a bit for my heart rate to settle. But after some groundwork I got back on and we did some work on getting her soft and working, rather than tight and running.
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| Tight and heavy |
It was hard. She was so heavy in my hand that it felt like I had 20 pounds of pressure. I finally stopped and told Shanea that I needed to back up and do the things I would if I was riding on my own. It's a simple exercise:
At the halt I drop the rein and then pick them up. I'm looking for her to stay in her halt and to accept the bit. If she moves I simply put her back and keep at it. When that is settled I asked her to take the contact and step softly into walk. Rinse and repeat. then walk-trot etc. It does work really well. And it worked here.
We finished on a good note and I called it. We were both quite sweaty at the end. While I was disappointed to not have the lesson I wanted I did learn that I was able to handle the shenanigans and ride through it. And that I could get in a good place.
Oh my.... good job riding through that! And good way to end up.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I have to keep in mind thst started awful but ended better.
DeleteLovely at the end. Was that an “oh, shit” I heard in the background on the first video? 😂
ReplyDeleteIt totally was. It made me laugh when I heard it v
DeleteThat spook looks familiar...
ReplyDeleteWell sat! Hopefully this is the blip ride that always seems to come after a bunch of good rides and you start to get your hopes up that you've "fixed" your horse.
Although, I also had the same kind of ride last night, so maybe it has to do with the alignment of the cosmos?
I suspect that it’s both.
DeleteGood job! Perhaps, you've progressed to a different style of "lesson." You know your horse better than anyone. Maybe you should be guiding the lesson, too. Take it where you need to take it. Get out of it what you want.
ReplyDeleteNot a bad thought. Shanea is pretty collaborative.
DeleteWell, we never know what we're going to get when we saddle up. Nice ending though.
ReplyDeleteThst may be a lesson I will be learning my whole life. 🙄😁
DeleteMan, she's a little powerhouse when she gets to bolting and going isn't she?
ReplyDeleteShe really is. She locks that massive neck and there’s little that can be done if I can’t stop it before it starts. Normally I get lots of signals so can head it off. This was out of the blue.
DeleteOof, she sure can lock the neck and GO!
ReplyDeleteBUT - that canter at the end is DREAMMMMY.
That neck is like a rock when she sets it. And then everything can be soft and supple.
Deleteugh i felt your "ah shit" in my soul watching that video... lol? for real tho, nice work. sorry it wasn't the lesson you wanted or hoped for... but nice to know you have the tools to keep working through it!!
ReplyDeleteI figure you’d appreciate the *shit* moment.
DeleteUgh I hate that, some days it feels like Cupid is just looking for an excuse to spook. Good job sitting through it and ending in a positive place.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteGlad you were able to get her brain back and finish on a positive note.
ReplyDeleteGood job staying on and working through it. Bolting can be very terrifying.
ReplyDeleteMy Thunder is an angelic superstar who I ride bridleless and all that jazz, but on the very rare occasions that he does spook, it's exactly the same - nose up, baroque neck locked, and off we go! My coach's dry remark is always, "Well, now you're awake." LOL! Great job riding through it and getting it back together <3 That's springtime for you...
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to getting through spring in one piece, lol
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