dancing horses

dancing horses

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

On Consistency

 I've always been one of those people who like to ride consistently. I get frustrated and out of sorts when the universe does not cooperate with my plans. This spring has been particularly challenging- between weather and lessons being cancelled I could literally see my training time trickle away.  It's probably all part of my over-thinking, planning and control issues. But, like Emma so clearly pointed out, it's also a a path to anxiety.  This quote from her post really resonated with me:

  "If every step relied on the steps before, and every ride was critical for accomplishing some future plan, suddenly you're kinda in this inescapable pressure trap, right?" 

And there are a lot of perspectives to take on the word 'consistency'. The way that I tend to approach it is to focus on frequency. I feel that I must ride X times per week for progress to be made. And that's not necessarily wrong- horses do like a routine.  but with the way things are going I haven't been able to get into a groove.  I can ride is rain or cold or wind but when these start to be combined I am much less motivated. And when you have a horse like Carmen who's not predisposed to love being ridden and Quaid who's learning how he feels about it I tend to be a little more careful.  

nothing to do with the post (other than there's a post in it)
but here's Quaid helping Ed with fence maintenance

I can't control the weather, but there is another type of consistency which I can control. And that is how I work with my horses and my expectations. I've been trying very hard to keep our sessions very consistent. With Carmen this means that I am consistent in my expectations of forward and being responsive. I can understand that riding 4 days in a row and then not for another 4 has definite impact on fitness so I am careful to give her breaks and not exhaust her. But I still expect her to be forward and to use her hind end. It is very common that our first trots are incredibly sucky. She's behind the leg and pins her ears. I can work her out of it but one day I was feeling like all I was doing was pony kicking a reluctant shetland around the ring. So picked up my whip. And she was magically forward. I hadn't even touched her. So. Yeah.  

With Quaid I found myself falling into a pit of not wanting to screw up so not doing anything. Which is fundamentally wrong and self-destructive.  Being so afraid of fucking up that I do nothing is not new. Once I realised it I could take steps to counteract it. My approach is to work with Quaid following a pattern:  groom, go to the ring, work in hand, tack up and, once he's fully tuned in get on. I am also okay with not riding if he seems to be not ready. But so far, that hasn't happen. 

both horses get to graze after work. Here
Carmen has totally forgotten she had her turn

My expectations that he pay attention and tune in I keep to the forefront.  And it's paying off so well. There are days when he's fully engaged from the get go. One day I was able to mount after 10 minutes of groundwork. Other days take a little longer. And one day I had to dismount and start again. On that day we were having a discussion over who got to choose where we went. He was getting upset with the steering and ramping up. so I got off and worked on steering from the ground. He pitched a small fit and then just got it and settled in. Which is pretty much how he operates-aaah I am not happy. Oh. never mind, it's all good. 

I've been pleasantly surprised by how much of an impact my consistency in how I work vs when actually has on our progress, even though I describe it as glacial. Like I said, Quaid is still at the point where what happens can influence how he'll feel about work in the future. This makes me careful to keep things clear and pushing boundaries a bit but working to not overwhelm him.  After our work I take his bridle off and he chooses to follow me even though he's completely free. That tells me a lot about the work we've been doing. 

following me away from the gate

The weather is improving so I've been able to work more frequently as well. Tomorrow we leave to go spend a few days in Montreal and pick up Ms. Cordelia. 

So regal and already judging me

I suspect I'm going to need a lot of consistency with her too. 

15 comments:

  1. I like the change of thought process to consistency of how you ride your horse instead of frequency. I think it's really underrated how little you can do, if you do it really well...

    ReplyDelete
  2. awww i love the puppy pics!! and also the puppy-like expression of Quaid as he's following you while at liberty <3 <3 i really feel ya on the "Being so afraid of fucking up that I do nothing" mindset too. it really is a nasty mind game sometimes -- except that i'm pretty sure the horses enjoy the quality time as much as we do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’m pretty sure that they do. Not that Carmen would admit it.

      Delete
  3. This is so timely for me. In January and February I was lacking ANY kind of consistency with Goggles - frequency or expectations. He was becoming quite chaotic because of it. I had to return to the basics and expect consistency with those and wouldn't you know it, he responded so so well and even seemed more relaxed just hanging out as well as under saddle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’m glad that it all worked out with Goggles. You can never go wrong with the basics.

      Delete
  4. I think the equine version of consistency differs a lot from the human. If we are consistent in what we offer them, whether it be our aids, our mental presence, our methods, and especially our timing. it will mean more to them than if we ride x number of days for x amount of time.
    Having 2 different types of horses is a bit challenging and also rewarding I bet. Had to laugh about Carmen when you picked up the whip- "Yes ma'am I can trot perfectly!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very right. And it is very different between the two. I laughed at Carmen’s ‘yes ma’am, forward we go’. She has so much personality

      Delete
  5. Add me as a person whose happy place is with a schedule and a plan. I like the idea of expecting consistency in the ride rather than the schedule. I'm loving your Quaid updates especially right now, it's interesting how we think babies need that schedule but really I don't think it matters, they always seem to retain everything.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I feel that the training is more about quality than quantity, but fitness is more about quantity. If they’re going to get fit, and us, too, we need consistency.

    When I send my horses off for daily training they always come back in great physical shape.

    But the other issue, the training / learning, I’ve found that less done correctly is better than more done haphazardly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Definitely fitness requires regular work.

      Delete
  7. Ohh I like this! I also have had it ingrained in me that working horses work six days a week. Some days harder than others of course, but they get ridden six days a week. I'm starting to understand that doesn't always work either for a particular horse, or due to weather, or whatever. I think you're very right, the importance is more on the how and not so much the how often (within reason of course).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think, that like anything, there’s truth in the benefits of regular rising but somewhere it became a rigid rule.

      Delete
  8. I completely feel you on the schedule and needing to hit a certain number of days - I know I put the pressure on myself too because we don't have "real" turnout and a ride is one way they get out and MOVE. But I like the single expectation for the ride and reading what others have said about that - I was getting way too hung up on progress and I've reshaped my expectations to get out of my own head

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry thst The pressure to exercise is even higher for you.

      Delete

Thank you for leaving a comment. I love the feedback.