Hard Decisions

 

Some riders are very lucky to never have to face this, but all to often it’s a place I end up coming to – to sell or not to sell.  I’m not sure if it’s because we tend to have a history of passing horses on in our family.  When you have five to three people sharing the same horse, it’s really hard to find one that suits everyone, so after three or four years with us, we’d sell them on, usually far better educated then when we brought them, and for a much higher price! 

Sort of like a long-term dealer I suppose…  Anyway, back to my present situation.  I’ve decided to sell Joey. 

I’ve actually been putting off this decision for at least a month now – not willing to admit that for the moment, my life circumstances will simply not allow him to fit in.  There are also some financial logistics that are rearing their ugly head, but it’s mainly life. 

We are expecting our second baby around the end of March next year.  That means I am currently three and 3/4 months pregnant, and that I haven’t ridden Joey at all for at least three months.  And I don’t see how I will be able to work him consistently any time soon.

I was considering finding another rider to help train him – not a lease, but kind of a co-ownership.   Though honestly, at this stage though I can’t really see that happening.  I’ve inquired around, but there aren’t really any experienced riders that are interested in training up a green 4 and a half year old that don’t already have their hands full with their own mounts.

I also considered just giving him a year off, but this is where the finances came into play.  We can afford to keep him, but it’s not really worth it when he’s just eating the money.  And, again, I’m not even sure how long it would take for me to get back into riding with a just under two year old and a new baby.  Then, once I can ride the logistics (there’s that word again..) of what to do with said babies while riding is some other headache altogether!

I have been supremely blessed as my husband has been working from home the last two years and that meant that basically I could go for a ride whenever I wanted, as long as it didn’t interfere with his work too much. I’d just leave the baby with him, and swan home when I was finished.  He is talking about a new job however, so that means that in the foreseeable future, I’d have to manage the children – find a babysitter or something, or find a way to ride in the am before hubs is off to work.  Neither options really seem like a go at the moment. 

Particularly when you consider that I’ve had about roughly one and half years riding before falling pregnant with baby number two (not including months off for mastitis and any other numerous aliments that have come my way), and there’s every likely possibility that that might be happening again any number of times within the next however many years!

*sigh* 

All of which, compounded by the stress and guilt I feel over not having enough energy to go and look after him, let alone exercise him (thank you all-day-long morning sickness!) has finally brought me around to the realization that Joey is just not the right horse for me at the moment, and I am not the right owner for him.  Let’s not even go into the “feeling like I am giving up/failing him” department and leave it at that.

What has to be, has to be.  While I feel some release over the resolution to a problem that has been bothering me for months now, I also feel a great deal of sadness.  I really like Joey, he has taught me a lot and I really wish I could have had a better chance to bring out the potential in him.  I also feel a bit… Relieved somehow.  I have sort of had a niggling doubt as to whether he was the horse for me all along.  Maybe I sort of knew we would never fit together.  He needs time I just don’t have. 

I know I could keep Joey, but ultimately, that’s not the best thing for him.  I can ride him, I can train him.  He’s come along quite well in the few months I have been able to work him.  He’s calmed down, he’s learnt to trust me and we’ve been building on that.  He’s taught me a lot about training young horses, and stretched me a lot as a rider.  Unfortunately life circumstances – his and mine! – mean that we have to part ways now. 

I’m okay with that.  

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”   ― Ernest Hemingway ”     

See ya,

bonita

Best photo bomb ever!

Guys have you seen this picture?  Totally faked, but totally hilarious none the less!   Lolz!  > U <

See ya,

bonita

Problem solved…

So I was right about my canter transitions.  They are still a little shaky - I don’t always feel completely ‘plugged in’ to the saddle/the feel of the horse as I ask for them.  Again, I think that has a lot to do with the lack of practise, but I was right about the shoulders tipping forwards thing.  Shoulders back and I got all my transitions when I asked for the them yesterday.  Yay!

I was riding a different horse as yesterday – Buttercup, and while she was sweet, she was definitely more work than Ernie, whom I think I might be slightly smitten on.  I keep on having thoughts about taking him away and tucking him up in a big lush paddock of green grass and spoiling him rotten.  *sigh*  I would if I could, I really would.

He’s not that popular with a lot of the staff at the school, I guess they think he’s too push-button and easy to ride, but honestly, in my mind that’s not the case.  I just feel like he’s a well broke horse; what I am aiming for with my own beasties!  He still has a high enough level of sensitivity that requires precision on the part of the rider, he's not obedient if you don't do it right.  Though, having said that you probably can get away with a lot on him - he is a riding school horse.  What I appreciate about him is that he still requires you to ride correctly or it’s just not pretty.

In my mind that’s the pleasure of a well broke horse.  You get to focus on the harmony between horse and rider, working on perfecting your understanding of each other, rather that just working on making things work full stop! 

Like for example, Buttercup didn’t feel like bending yesterday, which meant I really had to ride hard to get her to respond to me, whereas with Ernie I have to work on timing – making sure that I am asking juuustt right.  I like that.  I like precision and sensitivity. 

I guess that’s just the wanna-be dressage diva in me.  I know people can be rather contemptuous of a push-button horse, but I think that bringing your horse to the level of commitment where he KNOWS his job and will do it practically no matter what – that’s not a bad thing peoples!   It's called work ethic!

Obviously, you don’t want the horse to become deaf to the rider, or at the point where he won’t respond to any different stimuli, but I don’t think that’s were Ernie is at.  I have a lot of respect for him, and I think that he is a good example of what I am hoping to achieve with Joey. 

What do you think?  Are push-button horses just an easy ride for riders that don't want to put in the effort, or is there something more to it than that?  I’d love to hear what you think. 

See ya,

bonita

Figuring it out - Canter Transitions

Things have been a bit slow at the moment; but I have been busy at the riding school, teaching the Tiny Tots class and in return…  Riding lessons!

It’s so nice to ride a horse that isn’t going to fuss, or freak out unexpectedly - I am really enjoying it as a wee bit of a break from my never-quite-know-what-you-are-going-to-get Joey lad! 

Also, I get to practise cantering!!  Haha.  I know, I know – I sound like a total n00b saying that, but it’s true.  When I had Copper I had to go back and teach him the basics of using his body and balancing himself with a rider on his back.  While he liked to canter, it wasn’t pretty, nor particularly safe as he’d race around like he was a motorbike on a racetrack, leaning over on a really sharp angle.  I’d have to lift up my seat and plant my butt over on the outside of the saddle to counter-balance his weight so that we didn’t go over sideways!

Needless to say, I stuck with walk and trot work before moving up to cantering.  The only problem is that we were only just getting to that stage when I discovered that I had outgrown him, so then of course I leased him out.

Whereupon I replaced him with Joey.  Hmm, young, green, unbalanced horse?  Huh.  Guess we’re back at the walk and trot….  *sadface*   Not that I mind all that much, but it does mean that I haven’t done any serious canter work in years. 

And as a result I found out that my canter transitions suck when I got a horse that knew the job and I couldn’t get a canter out of him.  : /  
I fixed that by changing the rein, for some reason I find the right rein canter easier than the left, then when I switched back I got the left rein canter lead.  However, I was still not satisfied with that solution.  

I had noticed that when first asking for the canter transition I was dropping my left shoulder down and I knew that was the problem, but I didn’t know why.   So back home I did some research and felt like a detective when I figured it out!

I was actually tipping my shoulders forwards in an effort to produce canter, however, in doing that, I weakened my driving seat aid.  To compensate I dropped my weight down on the inside to try and strengthen the inside leg aid.  Of course this resulted in my dropping the left shoulder, blocking the horse’s inside shoulder which he needs to be able to LIFT in order to strike off with canter!   Also, in tipping forwards, my weak seat would have allowed him to string out in the back so he probably couldn’t get his hind end under him to lift his shoulders up either.   *whew* 

While all of this was happening, my instructor couldn’t actually see my shoulders tipping forwards, but I am hoping that the solution for me will to be “sit back”, keep my shoulders upright/slightly back, and drive with my seat. 

We’ll see if this turns out to be the cure for my crappy canter transitions, but I know for sure what I am doing wrong so at least we have half the diagnosis!

See ya,

bonita

A bit silly…

    

…And embarrassing to admit, but here’s the thing.  I sprained my left shoulder/bicep by reaching up to smack Joey for wiggling while I was cleaning out his hoof. 

Now I am in quite a bit of pain and can’t do anything much at all.  When I did it, it hurt so badly that I thought I dislocated my shoulder, but the doctor doesn’t think that I did.  I am not so sure…. 

Either way, it’s annoying. Can’t ride, can’t move properly, can’t pick up anything or even button up my pants!  I am in a bit of a pickle, aren’t I? 

I can’t even say it was because of a massive fall!   Oh well, I suppose I would much rather hurt myself in such an innocuous manner than by eating dirt, so we’ll leave it at that.  : ) 

See ya,

bonita

My First Days

 

I am totally excited – I just spent my midweek (Tuesday afternoon & Wednesday) shadowing two lovely riding instructors for my first taste of coaching training!  It been a couple of months coming, but I am sort of semi-employed at a local riding to learn coaching and start instructing. 

I will be starting with the tiny, tiny, tiny tots – a leading rein class for 2 – 6 yr olds.  The parents lead the children and I have to figure out how to teach them something (anything!) without going above their heads or tangling the parents/ponies up.  Hmmm… It’s going to be a challenge but I am sooo up for it!  I am beyond thrilled to have this opportunity!

Of course at this point I am busy trying to learn the names of the 30 odd herd of school ponies and horses, what their temperaments are like and what constitutes their good/bad behaviour.  I am also learning a different school routine; you know, how they muck out, tack up, teach a lesson, reprimand their horses (this one is more important than you might think!), etc.  It’s a lot to take in, but seriously, one and a half days into it, and the place already feels like a home away from home.

I love it.  I am really looking forwards to this new term coming up, and you can be assured that I will be jotting down all the details on the good ol’ blog. 

See ya,

bonita

P.S  - Joey is still going well; in fact I’m beginning to think that our lovely straight-ish walk and trot on the outside track (on both reins too!) is no longer a fluke and we have actually moved past the silly-shying-for-no-reason-phase!  Hip hip!!

Now I am working on:

• a driving seat aid for impulsion at all times – no slopping along allowed!
• hands together at all times to prevent over bending
• closed fingers and consistent contact (I tend to throw the reins away because I’m not used to providing a solid support for the horse to lean into.  I just figured out in my last lesson that that means that Copper was probably slightly behind the bit, thus, he had a hollow back and that’s why he such short strides and could never reach underneath himself properly!  D’oh!)
• and lastly, sitting trot practise for the win.   : D

He’s no angel…

 

But at least he’s not trying to kill me any more! 

I have been surprised and impressed with how well Joey’s been doing lately - perhaps it’s just that young horses take that much more time to really settle into a new place, or maybe that he’s finally decided that I’m not such a bad egg after all.

Either way, I’m seeing an improvement in Joey that I am very much liking at the moment.  He’s a lot calmer, and far more relaxed about things.

We’re seeing less of the bad attitude, and more habitual silliness now – like jogging when he’s fresh, spooking at the barrels for no good reason, or if he gets bored he’ll spook at nothing.  Plus, he’s a bit on the lazy side, so if you push him too hard he’ll buck and be jig around and be generally stupid.

I find that he really does need to be ridden at every moment your on his back, because if his mind is not engaged he’ll get into mischief and if you loose focus for one second, he looses his focus too!  I am discovering that this is the hard slog of riding a young horse; not that they are necessarily worse to ride then an older horse, but rather that they require that much more work under saddle.  You can’t ever switch off and leave it to the horse because they don’t understand that kind of partnership yet.  You must always be leading them – directing them and making the choices.

It’s exhausting mentally and physically, but it’s worth it when you realise that you’re making progress.  And we are! 

Currently we are working on forwards, (ie, legs, legs, legs), lowering his frame to bring him on the bit and prepare for the first stages of collection, and canter. 

I have cantered him a couple of times now and he’s been really good – no antics, just a nice medium canter, if a little unbalanced.  Joey really can be quite sensible at times which is nice!  Anyway, I must be off to ride my horse. 

See ya!

bonita