Saturday, February 21, 2015

Simple Things

Sometimes it's the simple things that create a good ride.

Really, it wasn't anything spectacular.  I let the girls into the indoor to blow off some steam since it is quite icy outsides.

Chili spent the first five minutes rearing and bucking.  I don't usually see mares rear, so that was a bit surprising.



I saddled Donni up first.  I left Chili loose in the arena.  It's a bit unorthodox to ride with a loose horse, but I don't mind it.  In fact, at times, I think it's quite beneficial to horse and rider.

First of all, heaven forbid a horse ever gets loose in the arena, but hopefully the horse that is still being ridden (ie mine) won't loose its marbles and dump me instantly. 

Two, it gives another distraction to work around and to try and reinforce and bring back the focus on the rider.


Here is a video when I was cooling down Donni at the end of the ride.  Chili looks like a lost puppy I think.

I just mostly worked on having Donni respect my half halt (mostly via seat) before transitions.  Perhaps, as an unrelated (or related) event, we had a lovely canter circle to the right.  Nice smooth walk-canter transition. 

It's the simple things that are pleasing I think.

Chili was also well behaved.  I do think it's a bit of a fluke at times that I have can have a coming four year old (will be four in May) that can sit for a week or two at a time and not be an absolute squirrel when I ride her again. 

Knock on wood.  Hopefully now I didn't jinx anything.

I kept it simple with her.   Just nice walk/trot circles over poles. Canter circle each direction.

Called it good.  She was well behaved (generally) for having her dam standing around like a lump on a log.

A good evening.  Just the simple things.

5 comments:

  1. How fun to have them both in the arena at the same time and as you say good practice should a loose horse happen.
    Happened to me shortly after I got Nancy, a horse that was being lunged somehow got out of its caveson - thankfully Nancy was a super star and we halted without issue so i could hop off until the loose horse was caught.

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  2. I completely agree with you on the fact that riding with another horse loose in the arena is a great thing to train with. You could also use it to your advantage and do some pony work too which is always fun :)

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  3. I've never ridden with a horse loose -- you make some interesting points tho!

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  4. I have ponied before. I ponied Chili as a weanling and I have also ponied two other weanlings off of Donni. Although, I tend to prefer ponying in the western saddle in case of shenanigans..

    I am not confident enough to pony out yet on the trail. Someday maybe!

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  5. I don't think it's a fluke at all. Chrome has always been that way and he's turning six this month. I can go months without riding him and then hop on and it's like we never missed a day. He definitely has his days when he's very up, but they aren't at all dependent on when we last rode. It's just weather related I think. :)

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