Okay, that's technically the opposite of what I have going on, but now I know what causes it. My incredibly tight neck and shoulders are back with one muscle actually seizing up. The good news is that I am no longer wondering how this happens. It's fear. I hold my fear in my shoulders and neck, in frozen, tight knots.
I had my lesson today and though the pony wasn't worked yesterday, I was determined not to 'over lunge' her before I got on. She seemed forward and submissive enough that I only lunged her for five minutes. The first thing Tessa did was try to say no thank you to my leg. Then she tried to say No! to my leg. Then she tried to say EFF YOU LADY to my leg and the whip. So after sitting a monster buck, we had our forward trot. I tried to breathe deeply and get back to my happy place. I lost her attention to something outside. I tried to bring her nose in to the inside, to get her focus back on me. She wasn't having any of it. And then we were off and running. What I should have done was let her run. I mean, I'm working on forward right? But I was scared. So I tried to bring her back down, I used my left hand to tilt her nose in (basically doing a one rein stop) while she galloped a small circle. I let up and she bounced away, her body tense and coiled and ready to gallop at the slightest provocation.
When we were past that, I wanted a break. I wanted to walk. I wanted to cry. I wanted to quit. However, Laura wisely kept me trotting and working, reminding me to breathe. We worked through it, we had lovely work later in our lesson where we worked on controlling the shoulder. We also got to the next level in evasions. Celebrate! I will take a horse grabbing the bit and diving (especially a little horse) over throwing their head into my face and hollowing out their back. Bring on the nose to the ground!
So, I will be taking some ibuprofen tonight and doing some stretching for my poor, sore shoulders. And I'm going to work on consciously not tensing my shoulders when I'm scared. I'm not sure exactly how I will accomplish this since I do it unconsciously, but knowing this is the problem is a damn fine start.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Ear Pictures Make Me Jealous
You know the ones I'm talking about. Most of you have probably even posted a few. The picture of the scenery from between the tips of your horses ears. I've seen green pastures, snowy fields, deserts, ditches, jumps, grass, trees and the blue sky of a perfect day. I want to have ear pictures! But even if I was able to snap a shot while I'm riding, it would most likely be a picture of an arena wall. My barn is wonderful. The care of the horses is impeccable and my pony gets to live outside. The arena has sand footing that gets dragged regularly and two open ends, so there's fresh air. But there's nowhere to ride outside. Or at least nowhere that feels safe to a chicken rider and a green horse.
We are on the end of a gravel road that is probably thirty feet (I'm terrible at measuring distances and such, but it's not super long). I could ride down this road, which is lined with threes and has minimal traffic. There's only one other house and then the barn at the end. But it opens up onto a quieter, but paved, road which then goes onto a busier paved road with no shoulder. I've heard you can cut through some places to go ride in the quieter, housing development roads in the neighborhood. The idea of falling (especially as my bones go all old lady on me) is hard enough to swallow without introducing pavement into the picture. Add to that a green, spooky horse who doesn't wear shoes and it feels like we will be stuck inside FOREVER!
Everyone says that to keep their green horse interested, they hack out at least once a week. How can I accomplish this when I have no truck/trailer and no access to any actual trails? Should I just start hand walking her down the drive a few times a week to start? At this point, remember, my horse is so nervous that if she changes stalls or goes to the other side of the barn she starts to tremble and over react. We've been visiting the 'scary' side of the barn regularly, but she still has quite a reaction, especially to the goat (OMIGOD THAT THING IS GOING TO LEAP OUT AND KILL ME WITH IT'S SCARY GOAT EYES! I CAN'T WALK PAST IT! IF I TAKE MY EYES OFF THAT SLEEPING GOAT, IT WILL SOMEHOW JUMP ME LIKE A COUGAR! ).
We are on the end of a gravel road that is probably thirty feet (I'm terrible at measuring distances and such, but it's not super long). I could ride down this road, which is lined with threes and has minimal traffic. There's only one other house and then the barn at the end. But it opens up onto a quieter, but paved, road which then goes onto a busier paved road with no shoulder. I've heard you can cut through some places to go ride in the quieter, housing development roads in the neighborhood. The idea of falling (especially as my bones go all old lady on me) is hard enough to swallow without introducing pavement into the picture. Add to that a green, spooky horse who doesn't wear shoes and it feels like we will be stuck inside FOREVER!
Everyone says that to keep their green horse interested, they hack out at least once a week. How can I accomplish this when I have no truck/trailer and no access to any actual trails? Should I just start hand walking her down the drive a few times a week to start? At this point, remember, my horse is so nervous that if she changes stalls or goes to the other side of the barn she starts to tremble and over react. We've been visiting the 'scary' side of the barn regularly, but she still has quite a reaction, especially to the goat (OMIGOD THAT THING IS GOING TO LEAP OUT AND KILL ME WITH IT'S SCARY GOAT EYES! I CAN'T WALK PAST IT! IF I TAKE MY EYES OFF THAT SLEEPING GOAT, IT WILL SOMEHOW JUMP ME LIKE A COUGAR! ).
Sunday, January 8, 2012
This is not a test
We had forward. Neither trainer was at the barn today so I sucked it up and got on. I had decided that I was going to ride through whatever she gave me. She gave me a swish and a half hearted attempt at a buck. I sat down and tapped her. She went forward, I praised her lavishly. It wasn't as forward as Laura had her going, but it was forward. With no bucking! We did multiple canter transitions with NO BUCKING! She was soft and forward and lovely!
We did have some minor steering issues where she would get bendy in the neck and throw a shoulder out. Part of the problem is we're still using the Happy Mouth Mullen bit, which is wonderful in many ways, but when you have a horse with a crazy rubber neck it can make it hard to capture their neck/shoulders. I just held a firm outside rein when our twenty meter canter circle turned into a thirty meter hexagon.
I kept our ride short because there was a lot going on the arena and I got such great transitions that I didn't want to jinx it. Here's a little pre-ride yawn from the pony.
I have ordered our new bit, a Herm Sprenger KK Ultra Snaffle and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival. I am also really looking forward to the rest of this week and getting more and more forward!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
And the beat goes on.....
I took my camera out to the barn yesterday with good intentions to take pictures and even some video since I wasn't actually riding the pony. Did I remember that? No, no I did not. Sigh.
I got out to the barn to groom the pony and get her tacked up for Laura. One of Tessa's favorite activities is sleeping. Often, when I come out to the barn, my pony is lying down napping. She might crack an eye open when I open her stall door, but it takes a bit of encouragement to get her up on her feet. She's a champion napper.
Not only was she not napping yesterday, she was spinning, rearing and calling out frantically every time she saw me. She was in a different stall so we think she just might be really insecure every time we move stalls. Which means she's going to be on the grand rotation schedule from now on where we will try to put her in different stalls every day. It also means I'm going to start thinking about who I can hitch rides with this summer so we can just get her OUT places.
I told Laura that there was no way in hell I was going to try and take off her blanket while she's rearing in her stall, so Laura went in and removed the blanket and turned Tess out in the arena to blow off some steam. Five minutes of bucking, snorting and galloping later and she was still vibrating but she was much more sensible. Remember my assignment from Thursday? To act like I disliked my pony? Yeah, I started that. Which meant when she pushed her shoulder into me, I pushed her back (you have got to love horses that are small enough that you can actually *physically*push them over). When she tried to push me with her head, I caught her one on the bridge of her nose. When she tried to back up in cross ties, I pushed her back forward. When she pinned her ears, swished her tail and twitched a hind leg I growled at her. Sure enough, she stopped. And was good for the rest of our tacking up.
Laura put on a helmet and prepared for battle. Today was the pony's Come to Jesus discussion. Today, the princess would learn that forward was the *only* answer that was acceptable when leg was put on. Laura got on, adjusted the stirrups and hunkered down for the big fit. She asked Tess to go forward. Tess wrinkled her face up, threw her head back, swished her tail and went slower. She asked again, tapping with the whip. Tess threw a hind leg out and flung her head in hair. Wrong answer, pony. Laura snapped the whip smartly on her hind end and the pony put in a half hearted buck and shot forward into a.....canter. But it was a forward canter. Laura praised her and settled into riding. She rode serpentines and transitions. She rode in two point, deep seat. She tried to emulate my riding (I told her to grip like hell with her whole body and ask her to go forward while holding the reins too tight...that should do the trick.), she flopped like potatoes, she was rigid. The pony maintained forward. Laura was soft and fair and only had to tap her one more time to remind her that kicking, bucking and pinning ears were not the answer to a forward reminder.
Our plan is for Laura to get on her before I ride for the next few times and to see if we can get past this with Tess and I. It's very obviously an issue that is caused mostly by me. So I'm going to focus on grabbing mane instead of rein (how's that for a rhyming mantra this week) and hunkering down for some serious forward.
Since I didn't get pictures of the ride, here is a picture of one of the babies at the barn. They're at that fugly baby stage for sure, but this little guy is so damn cute and friendly and kept coming over for some more love.
I got out to the barn to groom the pony and get her tacked up for Laura. One of Tessa's favorite activities is sleeping. Often, when I come out to the barn, my pony is lying down napping. She might crack an eye open when I open her stall door, but it takes a bit of encouragement to get her up on her feet. She's a champion napper.
Not only was she not napping yesterday, she was spinning, rearing and calling out frantically every time she saw me. She was in a different stall so we think she just might be really insecure every time we move stalls. Which means she's going to be on the grand rotation schedule from now on where we will try to put her in different stalls every day. It also means I'm going to start thinking about who I can hitch rides with this summer so we can just get her OUT places.
I told Laura that there was no way in hell I was going to try and take off her blanket while she's rearing in her stall, so Laura went in and removed the blanket and turned Tess out in the arena to blow off some steam. Five minutes of bucking, snorting and galloping later and she was still vibrating but she was much more sensible. Remember my assignment from Thursday? To act like I disliked my pony? Yeah, I started that. Which meant when she pushed her shoulder into me, I pushed her back (you have got to love horses that are small enough that you can actually *physically*push them over). When she tried to push me with her head, I caught her one on the bridge of her nose. When she tried to back up in cross ties, I pushed her back forward. When she pinned her ears, swished her tail and twitched a hind leg I growled at her. Sure enough, she stopped. And was good for the rest of our tacking up.
Laura put on a helmet and prepared for battle. Today was the pony's Come to Jesus discussion. Today, the princess would learn that forward was the *only* answer that was acceptable when leg was put on. Laura got on, adjusted the stirrups and hunkered down for the big fit. She asked Tess to go forward. Tess wrinkled her face up, threw her head back, swished her tail and went slower. She asked again, tapping with the whip. Tess threw a hind leg out and flung her head in hair. Wrong answer, pony. Laura snapped the whip smartly on her hind end and the pony put in a half hearted buck and shot forward into a.....canter. But it was a forward canter. Laura praised her and settled into riding. She rode serpentines and transitions. She rode in two point, deep seat. She tried to emulate my riding (I told her to grip like hell with her whole body and ask her to go forward while holding the reins too tight...that should do the trick.), she flopped like potatoes, she was rigid. The pony maintained forward. Laura was soft and fair and only had to tap her one more time to remind her that kicking, bucking and pinning ears were not the answer to a forward reminder.
Our plan is for Laura to get on her before I ride for the next few times and to see if we can get past this with Tess and I. It's very obviously an issue that is caused mostly by me. So I'm going to focus on grabbing mane instead of rein (how's that for a rhyming mantra this week) and hunkering down for some serious forward.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Thursdays are My Favorite Days
Though I woke up this morning dreading my lesson and with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, it's become clear that Thursdays are going to be my best days. Right when I got to the barn Laura told me the plan was for Linda to lunge the pony again in side reins and then put me on board. Yeah, I'm throwing out the L's now that it's clear that I'll be working with both Laura and Linda. Too confusing.....
So Linda lunges the pony in side reins. After a few moments of discussion about running versus walking, Tessa settles in. And oh my, I had forgotten what a lovely mover my pony is. She has a beautiful, floaty trot! Linda has me come over to feel the connection on the lunge line. Then she hands the line to me and I try to keep the connection, relax my hands and keep the pony forward. I succeed, mostly.
Then it's time to get on. I opt to get on without the lunge line, but Linda is still close by the lunge whip. Tessa ambles off into a sluggish, crabby walk and lurches into her slow trot, snapping her tail at me and twisting her head angrily. I try to relax my arms of steel and grab a hunk of mane as Linda snaps the whip. Tessa goes forward. This was pretty much my whole lesson. Sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn't. We were not able to duplicate the gorgeous, floaty trot and mostly she was trotting slower than she should have. However, she didn't buck every time. She didn't flip her head every time. In fact, a few of our canter transitions were almost pretty!
I think Laura is going to ride Tess tomorrow (though we never confirmed this. Note to self: email Laura!) to really get the point across that when you have a rider you must, must, must go forward. I hope she rides at a time where I can watch! I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the next few rides. Though I feel GREAT about what I did today, I also don't feel like I could replicate it without having someone on the ground with a lunge whip. I ride five days a week alone and then one day in a lesson so I need to move past this phase as quick as I can.
The other thing that Linda has me doing is pretending I hate my pony. Most of my problems stem from disobedience. It starts in the cross ties and just keeps going to under saddle. So when I got off, the first thing Tess tried to do is rub her head on me. Rather than pushing her off and feeling like a failure and going down THAT rabbit hole, I cracked her smartly with the handle of the whip and then backed her up by tapping her on the chest. Pony looked at me like 'Who is THIS???'. Two minutes later, she remembered it was me and tried rubbing again. I nailed her again and backed her up. Then I gave her a pet on the forehead. She stayed still. That's right, Princess. Momma's got some boundaries now and they will be enforced. MWahahahaha. She was amazing after that and didn't pin her ears or swish her tail at me even once.
I don't have any pictures of my actual lesson, but I remembered a camera today so here's a couple random shots.
So Linda lunges the pony in side reins. After a few moments of discussion about running versus walking, Tessa settles in. And oh my, I had forgotten what a lovely mover my pony is. She has a beautiful, floaty trot! Linda has me come over to feel the connection on the lunge line. Then she hands the line to me and I try to keep the connection, relax my hands and keep the pony forward. I succeed, mostly.
Then it's time to get on. I opt to get on without the lunge line, but Linda is still close by the lunge whip. Tessa ambles off into a sluggish, crabby walk and lurches into her slow trot, snapping her tail at me and twisting her head angrily. I try to relax my arms of steel and grab a hunk of mane as Linda snaps the whip. Tessa goes forward. This was pretty much my whole lesson. Sometimes I got it, sometimes I didn't. We were not able to duplicate the gorgeous, floaty trot and mostly she was trotting slower than she should have. However, she didn't buck every time. She didn't flip her head every time. In fact, a few of our canter transitions were almost pretty!
I think Laura is going to ride Tess tomorrow (though we never confirmed this. Note to self: email Laura!) to really get the point across that when you have a rider you must, must, must go forward. I hope she rides at a time where I can watch! I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the next few rides. Though I feel GREAT about what I did today, I also don't feel like I could replicate it without having someone on the ground with a lunge whip. I ride five days a week alone and then one day in a lesson so I need to move past this phase as quick as I can.
The other thing that Linda has me doing is pretending I hate my pony. Most of my problems stem from disobedience. It starts in the cross ties and just keeps going to under saddle. So when I got off, the first thing Tess tried to do is rub her head on me. Rather than pushing her off and feeling like a failure and going down THAT rabbit hole, I cracked her smartly with the handle of the whip and then backed her up by tapping her on the chest. Pony looked at me like 'Who is THIS???'. Two minutes later, she remembered it was me and tried rubbing again. I nailed her again and backed her up. Then I gave her a pet on the forehead. She stayed still. That's right, Princess. Momma's got some boundaries now and they will be enforced. MWahahahaha. She was amazing after that and didn't pin her ears or swish her tail at me even once.
I don't have any pictures of my actual lesson, but I remembered a camera today so here's a couple random shots.
This is the Pessoa Military Saddle I've been riding in. Notice the crazy blocks in front of and in back of your leg. Weird saddle but it kept me on the pony when she tried her hand at rodeo-ing.
Pony wants a treeeeeaaaaaaat.
This is Farthing who I rode for a few minutes on Tuesday. See how huge he is? Okay, I probably should have put something next to him for perspective. The Pony (who is 15 hands) looks like a midget next to him. I'm pretty sure (in my 'omigodthishorseishuge' imagination) that the fence behind him is six feet tall. He's THAT big. Warmblood riders, quit snickering at me. I got off a petite 15hand Arab and he felt like riding a house.
Giant head! He's SUCH a Warmblood. Came over to visit but wasn't concerned or overly interested. His take was "I'll let you pet me if you feel like it, but no pressure."
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
New Year's Prediction Ride
I read somewhere that the first ride of the year sets the tone for your year. This better not be true. My first ride of the year was a hot mess with the pony getting stickier and stickier. Then I went out to the barn yesterday and couldn't even get up the nerve to ride. I brushed the pony and went home. Today I was determined to ride and I did. For five minutes we slogged around and before I could even get a decent trot out of her, the princess decided she was done. She stopped moving. I used my legs. Kick. The whip. Kick, buck. Argh! Lucky for me, L was right there. Her partner (also an L, dammit....this whole anonymous trainer thing isn't really working out very well) was riding a GIANT bay horse and yelled across the arena "C'mere and hop on this horse and ride while I put your pony in side reins and teach her some forward to contact."
I blinked at her. "Ride that horse? He's huge." I'm not kidding about the huge. He was at least 16.3 and a massive warmblood. "Uh......"
She laughed. "He's huge but he goes forward. He's totally safe. We put beginners on him."
Okay. I may be a chicken, but I'm not a beginner and I'm not going to let a giant, beginner's horse intimidate me. So I handed her the cranky pony and got on the massive bay. I asked him to trot. Oh, hey core muscles, you might want to help out here. He had a lofty trot that made posting athletic but somehow easier. We flew around the arena. I got to ride in the corner next to the goat's pen where Tessa doesn't go. We did twenty meter circles with ease. Linda was having a discussion with the Princess that involved some head tossing and some crankiness, but every time I flew by them the pony seemed to be going forward.
"Canter him." Linda said as I flew by. "But from the walk. He's forward and it'll be a bigger canter but he's easy."
I took a deep breath. I fidgeted my way down the long side, building my courage. In the corner I sat deep, moved my outside leg back and pressed. The big bay leapt into a ground covering canter. We took the long side in four strides.
"Balance him." Linda yelled, while snapping the lunge whip at the Princess.
I sat deeper in the saddle, took some contact and thought about lifting his back up underneath me. It worked. It worked! We were balanced and cantering and forward and Oh!Oh! I'm not nearly as bad a rider as I think! I sat down and thought walk and he came right back underneath me, swinging his back and stepping softly underneath me.
"Okay, now come get back on your pony." She still had Tess attached to the lunge line. I climbed back aboard (no mounting block needed for the pony) and asked for forward. Immediately, Tess pinned her ears and swished her tail. I tapped her with the whip and she kicked out, threatening to buck.
"I'm going to make her go forward, so be ready for her to really go forward." Linda lifted the lunge whip and smartly tapped Tessa's side. I grabbed a handful of mane and we were off. Wow! A forward trot. A very speedy forward trot! I could work with this trot. We could get contact.
'Now ask for canter." Linda still had the lunge whip in one hand and the lunge line in the other. I sat down and cued for canter. Tess pinned her ears, swished her tail and bucked. Linda tapped her with the lunge whip and Tess took off at a frantic canter. In response I raised my hands and felt my hands, arms and shoulders turn to iron bars.
"Relax your hands." Linda admonished, "She can't go forward if you're pulling her back with all that tension. Just sit down, relax everything and keep the contact steady. Let her go forward INTO the contact."
Sure enough, two strides later we had a lovely, forward relaxed canter. It was time to unclip the lunge line.
At this point, I'd love to end my story with "And everything was wonderful and we all lived happily ever after." but that's not what happened. My pony is a smart pony and as soon as Linda was out of range, she decided that she didn't need to go forward. She stopped dead and kicked out. So, Linda came after her with a lunge whip, which meant me grabbing more mane and trying not to give her conflicting cues.
Linda pointed out that I need to start on the ground with being in charge. That her kicking out and bucking at my leg and my whip are things that start when she pins her ears on the ground and swishes her tail when I brush her. I just can't seem to find the spot where I'm a benevolent dictator. So, I'm just going to make sure to take this project one day at a time. And maybe I'll count the brief forward moments of our ride on the lunge line today as my New Year's Prediction Ride. I predict, one way or another, I will find the gas pedal on this pony and I will find my way around being her leader. Monday, January 2, 2012
2012 and the World Didn't End! Hurrah!
Well, we made it to 2012. And since I have LOVED seeing the 'year in review' posts, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and try to put my own review together. Of course, it's a bit challenging because my photo documenting could use some help. That's going to be my blogging resolution: MORE PICTURES!
January 2011
Spent time talking a lot about horses. Decide to look into getting back into them again.
February 2011
Start taking riding lessons again regularly after a year long hiatus (which was following a 10 year hiatus). I remember that as much as I like lessons, I like having my own horse to work with. Husband I discuss and agree to begin searching for a horse.
March 2011
Spend every spare moment looking at horses. My criteria for a horse is this:
1. Pocket pony personality. I want a horse who's a love bug. No pissy attitudes, even if they're well trained.
2. Quiet. Not spooky.
3. On the smaller side. Bigger than 14.2 but smaller than 16 hands. I know, I know. I ride dressage and should want to ride a ginormous, powerful horse. But I don't. I like little horses. They're closer to the ground, less intimidating for me, and when you're out on the trail (as if I EVER trail ride) they're easier to get on from the ground.
4. It MUST be a love connection. The amount of money that I spend on a horse is approximately the same no matter how I feel about the horse. It's going to cost me over $1,000 a month to do the horse thing and I better damn well LOVE my horse. Otherwise there are lots of other things I could be doing for $1,000 a month.
April 2011
Narrow the search down and find what I think is my horse. She's a rescue horse and tries hard to please. She's quiet and short and a nice mover. But she has a funky looking knee. I fall in love, take a few lessons on her and have a vet who's a lameness expert come out to do the PPE. She watches her go on the lunge for five minutes and shakes her head. It's a no go. She'll be good for light riding and a weekend rider, but I want to ride six days a week. I'm heart broken. As I'm putting the horse's blanket back on, my eyes are filling with tears and I'm lost in my unhappiness. At that moment, the mare throws her head up, catching my jaw and slamming it shut. I spit out a mouthful of blood and bits of teeth. I quickly put the mare away and drive off, disappointed and now missing my two front teeth. A quick phone call to the dentist, two weeks of a liquid diet and three weeks later I have new front teeth and a brand new phobia about my face.
May 2011
I drive out to the middle of nowhere to see a horse that I'm pretty sure won't work for me. She's not the right color (grey), she's a mare and not a gelding (mares!), she's young (barely 5), and out of shape. On May 29th she becomes mine. Here's the original post I wrote about her on my other blog.
http://monasterling.posterous.com/horses-are-angels
June 2011
Due to the outbreak of Equine Herpes, the pony doesn't get to come home until the middle of June. She goes directly into full time training.
July 2011
Only my trainer is riding the pony. I want her to get a clear, consistent start and this seems like the best idea. I act as groom. Pony gains a little weight and a lot of attitude. She has her first dressage schooling show and scores a 64%. Not too shabby considering she's only been doing it a month.
August 2011
Pony is still very spooky and nervous. I start riding her and am gripped with fear. I can't get her attention. I take this horrible picture for her registration because there isn't anyone else out at the barn and I need a picture to transfer the registration.
Sept 2011
More full time training. Less of me riding. Thinking of selling the pony because I can't ride her. I practice braiding. My braiding gets worse instead of better. I am convinced I am incompetent in all things horse.
October 2011
Decide to sell horse. On the same day, decide to switch trainers to try something as a latch ditch effort. Start blog. Realize I am not alone and not as incompetent as I thought. Barely. Take some great photos showing how much she's filled out!
November 2011
Keep taking lessons even though I'm terrified. Make a pact to keep the pony until spring/summer of next year no matter what happens. No more training so it's just me and the pony.
December 2011
Slow down a bit due to holidays and family stuff, but have some big breakthroughs. Now that we've worked past the major spooking we've entered in the major bucking phase. Remind myself that I've committed until spring. If you look closely, she's wearing tiny brown antlers. Reindeer Pony!
I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. I am looking forward to 2012 and what new things I will discover on the journey with the princess.
January 2011
Spent time talking a lot about horses. Decide to look into getting back into them again.
February 2011
Start taking riding lessons again regularly after a year long hiatus (which was following a 10 year hiatus). I remember that as much as I like lessons, I like having my own horse to work with. Husband I discuss and agree to begin searching for a horse.
March 2011
Spend every spare moment looking at horses. My criteria for a horse is this:
1. Pocket pony personality. I want a horse who's a love bug. No pissy attitudes, even if they're well trained.
2. Quiet. Not spooky.
3. On the smaller side. Bigger than 14.2 but smaller than 16 hands. I know, I know. I ride dressage and should want to ride a ginormous, powerful horse. But I don't. I like little horses. They're closer to the ground, less intimidating for me, and when you're out on the trail (as if I EVER trail ride) they're easier to get on from the ground.
4. It MUST be a love connection. The amount of money that I spend on a horse is approximately the same no matter how I feel about the horse. It's going to cost me over $1,000 a month to do the horse thing and I better damn well LOVE my horse. Otherwise there are lots of other things I could be doing for $1,000 a month.
April 2011
Narrow the search down and find what I think is my horse. She's a rescue horse and tries hard to please. She's quiet and short and a nice mover. But she has a funky looking knee. I fall in love, take a few lessons on her and have a vet who's a lameness expert come out to do the PPE. She watches her go on the lunge for five minutes and shakes her head. It's a no go. She'll be good for light riding and a weekend rider, but I want to ride six days a week. I'm heart broken. As I'm putting the horse's blanket back on, my eyes are filling with tears and I'm lost in my unhappiness. At that moment, the mare throws her head up, catching my jaw and slamming it shut. I spit out a mouthful of blood and bits of teeth. I quickly put the mare away and drive off, disappointed and now missing my two front teeth. A quick phone call to the dentist, two weeks of a liquid diet and three weeks later I have new front teeth and a brand new phobia about my face.
May 2011
I drive out to the middle of nowhere to see a horse that I'm pretty sure won't work for me. She's not the right color (grey), she's a mare and not a gelding (mares!), she's young (barely 5), and out of shape. On May 29th she becomes mine. Here's the original post I wrote about her on my other blog.
http://monasterling.posterous.com/horses-are-angels
June 2011
July 2011
August 2011
Sept 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011
I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. I am looking forward to 2012 and what new things I will discover on the journey with the princess.
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