dancing horses

dancing horses

Friday, November 15, 2019

The First Deadly Sin


Before I get into my post, last week a surprise arrived in my mail from Nicole. Not that it should have been a surprise. I just forgot that I won the foal pool.

I love this so much. She captured them all beautifully 

You know, for a person who probably thinks far too much I can still do some pretty stupid things.

My rides on Carmen have been going really well. Which led me to become a bit complacent.  Add in the decrease in riding because of, well, late autumn (and the weather sucks and it's dark and cold and rainy) and add in a mare that does not like to be taken for granted and you can have a recipe for disaster.

Spoiler alert- no one was seriously hurt.

It started with me wanting to get a ride in on Sunday morning before the young woman who is learning to ride Irish came out (that's a different story).  It was sunny and a bit windy.

I should have lunged first but I didn't want to didn't think I needed to.   Carmen seemed fine at first but lost no time in telling me that there were trolls on the far side of the ring and she was having none of it. I kept trying to work her through with some success but nothing that stuck.

I was getting a bit annoyed but wanted to get to a good point and be done. I began to work her really hard at the gate and then offer the far side as a place of rest. She wasn't buying that at all. But I figured she would figure it out. The young woman came and I told her I needed some time.

So I'm working Carmen at the gate and then she does this nasty little deke to the right and then a big swerve to the left. I was completely unbalanced and there was no saving it so I let go and fell to the ground cursing as I landed. I jumped up, asked the young woman to get my lunging stuff and the proceeded to lunge the crap out of Carmen. I know that I was at fault here too but that was a nasty little move and I couldn't let be the end of work.

Once she was worked hard, I hopped back on and cooled her out at the walk all over the ring.

I wasn't hurt but I was annoyed at myself. The signs were there and I ignored them, figuring it would all be fine. I also started to think back about when I had last done our groundwork and I really couldn't remember.

Bad me.

The next day was a Remembrance Day and it's a holiday here. In the morning I went out to get Carmen from the field. I always walk out, stop and wait for them to turn to me and come towards me. Carmen looked at me but was a bit reluctance.  I just waited for her to relax and then I put her halter on. 

We headed up to the ring and I had all my stuff up there. We spent the next 30 minutes or so reviewing all the groundwork exercises: following, backing up, the clock exercise, dealing with plastic bags and noise makers. As we worked we fell back into our easy companionship and I realized that it was missing before. I turned her back out to chill for a couple hours.  


Relaxed with one ear on me 
I turned her back out and headed to the ceremony. I rarely miss it but now with my son in the Air Force and going to Kuwait soon it has more personal meaning. 

After lunch I got my tack ready and went out to get her again. This time she saw me and came right to me with an open and happy gaze. I tacked her up and we went up to the ring. I lunged her a bit first but she was fine. So I hopped on and guess what? 

Carmen was fine. 

Just fine. 

Not that she wasn't worried about the same areas but she wanted to know my opinion of it and then listened to that opinion.

And our session was awesome. Since then she's been tuned into me and happy for me to groom or lunge her. 

Lesson learned (at least until next time). 





12 comments:

  1. Glad you weren’t too banged up from the fall!! I feel like I have to relearn that lesson on false security in complacency with Charlie at least once or twice a year. You’d think it would just stay learned after a point... but ya know. Life happens and we get distracted and we just expect the horses to fit inside the little boxes we assign to them haha. In a way tho it’s nice to get reminders to stick with our processes and routines!! Sorta a strange validation lol

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    1. Maybe some day I’ll remember but I bet I’ll forget this time next year! And you’re right- it is a backwards validation!

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  2. I fall victim to this sin as well from time to time. I usually am attentive to "the signs" but sometimes I am just oblivious. And that's when I get my lesson learned.

    Sometimes they just need to run. And sometimes I can (or want to) actively participate in that process. But sometimes I can't. And that's where the lunging plays a critical role, particularly in these shoulder seasons of spring and fall. I am glad I do not have to do it regularly, but it sure is a handy tool from time to time.

    The beauty is that a good huffing and puffing session like you had often can have a lasting effect for a few days. Enjoy the chill relaxed vibe and embrace your winter wonderland. You did get snow didn't you?

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    1. Yes it does last for a few days. We didn’t get any snow - it rained and after the temps dropped

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  3. That's a really beautiful image of your three.

    That you got pulled off your feet on the lunge - I come so close so often cuz of Mag's rambunctious behavior, but if I actually hit the ground, I'd be furious.

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    1. No no, I came off riding. Carmen’s lunge manners are pretty impeccable now. Rope halters are great for horses that pull on the lunge.

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  4. We're all guilty of complacency at times. I'm glad you weren't really hurt. And now that you've worked on your groundwork she seems to be in tune again. The good thing is that you know how to fix what went wrong and move forward again.

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    1. that is very very true. It was a reminder to me to not skip the groundwork.

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  5. Glad you didn't get hurt, and that you realized how to repair your connection! Also that looks like a lovely ceremony, wishing all the best to your son and your family as he ships out.

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    1. It is usually a great ceremony and well attended in our town.

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  6. Sorry you parted ways, but I guess it was a good reminder to listen to your mare... I've done the same, gotten too complacent and then annoyed when things aren't working right. Glad it was a one and done and you two are back on the same wavelength.

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  7. You should be proud of yourself at being able to handle falls so well. I remember being extremely proud when I peeled off Beautiful and landed on my feet. Falling well is a skill we need to keep up on, too. Lol. I love the way you just handle it, get back on, and don’t hold a grudge. šŸ‘

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