Pride

Sunday was a hit to my pride on riding since I let things escalate when they shouldn't have ever even started. I was nervous going into the ride, which in turn, played out with everything I did with him. I hung on the reins, something I don't feel like I do, and gave him no release because I was nervous and he threw a fit. Understandable and I feel absolutely horrible about it. I was in tears when I left.

Joe was with me and stated that he has never seen me give up like I just did :( It was really a blow when he said I handled the entire thing really well and he wasn't ever afraid I would get hurt in the tantrum. I have no idea when I became a nervous rider! I'm usually the one to hop on anything and go happily along with whatever happens. I know a large part of me is terrified to hurt Memphis. I'm so afraid that if I actually put him to work he will come up lame or pull something or otherwise get injured. So when he sometimes gets playful or gets the stupid in his head, I'm afraid he is going to get hurt. I'm not really concerned about my safety, which is just plain odd.

I plan to ride again, but unlike Sunday, I plan to have a clear concise plan in mind. Something I normally do, but Sunday I just let him have the freedom to change gaits at will. Again, something I have never really done. Sigh. Lesson learned on my part.

Hoping the arena is still dried out as that is where I plan to ride :) Set up some poles and just work on walking and weaving with him. Maybe pop it up a notch but just walking and weaving.

Also this gaited horse book I got just enlightened me to Memphis and his gaits. Apparently with gaited horses there are two kinds when it comes to the canter- the ones that it just comes naturally to and the ones that have a really hard time with it. I'm lumping Memphis into the "has a really hard time with it" as he will canter for a few strides but go right back into a pace. It gives ways to help improve the canter and to get them into it, but does say it can take months for them to do it and even then there is the chance that it will be a fight to keep them there. It has to do with the actual build of the horse and looking at that diagram of how they have the horses, Memphis fits into the pacier side of things. Which makes sense, as his bloodlines are chock full of well known pacey horses. There, I learned something totally new! :)

sigh

Tonight I actually saddled Memphis for the first time in a long time. Been weeks for him. I will say that he was calmer today than he had been in a long time. I'm not sure if it was just warm outside or if he just wasn't feeling too bad.

The good:

He saddled fine with the only balk being at me putting the saddle on. He stood still for saddling and lowered his head to take the bit. Worked on poles today at just a walk. He wanted to be a butt and stop randomly, but thankfully he just takes a slight tap with my heel to get him to move. He is also responding well to clicks and clucks.

I stopped the ride when he did a small run walk for me and stopped when I said woah. I'm trying to keep the lessons short for right now since he hasn't done anything in almost 5 weeks. I want to instill a few basics and then stop. Sunday's ride will be about 10-20 minutes longer than the 15 I put into him today.


The bad:

He had a bad fall today. :( I was lunging him before I rode him to get out some of his kinks. (I am in the lunging before riding if you haven't ridden in awhile) He tried to bolt... which is not good because we were in an enclosed space with not much room. I yanked his head too late and he lost his balance and fell.... hard... he hit the stall with the pony in it hard. (the barn he is in is huge. the stalls are on the outside walls and there is a large soft tilled dirt in the middle. Not big enough for a horse to go too crazy, but large enough to get some work done) He hopped back up pretty quickly, we walked for a few minutes to see if anything was hurt and then I moved him on the line to see if he was acting gimpy. He seems fine. But that still doesn't not make me feel horrid. I shouldn't have yanked his head but I was afraid he would bolt into the barn doors...

Bucking fools!

Memphis on the other hand was bucking it up last night. He is really ready to get out of his stall, all of the horses have been stalled up for 2 weeks because the pasture is a muddy wreck or its a watery grave. Poor guy has had a stud chain over his nose every time we walk. (not under saddle, just walking) because he wants to dictate the speed or he is being an idiot and spooking at everything. He's giving me my nut up or shut up moment with horses.

We let him run around the barn for a bit while cleaning his stall out and he was running around bucking, snorting, rolling, and having a grand old time. My barn owner says he looks like a woman when he starts gaiting because of the back and forth movement in his butt. :D

At this point though, it puts my training and everything I want to do with him behind. Once the tractor moves (It's been broke down in the middle of the barn) I can finally start lunging him again and getting him back up to speed with voice commands. I also want to sack him out quite a bit. He needs to be able to handle random things coming at him if he is going to make me a decent trail horse.

He is also bending quite nicely so I know his butt can do it under saddle. You say "Back" and he is backing. I take his head slightly towards me in halter and push on his side and say "over" and he moves his hindquarters away from me. Just like he should. So this tells me clearly I need more saddle work.

Although, he was the perfect gentleman for grooming yesterday. :) Even had a hoof ready to lift for me and everything. Now I need to work on space issues with him too, he always wants to be in my space. I've been pushing him away from me and letting him in when I want. He gets a little upset with me, but tough. If I want to win with him, I'm going to have to show him that I'm leader and he can come in when I want him in.

Aren't horses fun??!!!