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! :)