Less unsettled

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Annual Trail Rides: 194/200 (Bareback 27/40)

These two weeks are busy with work and teaching so riding is taking a backseat in the form of showing up at the barn after several days of absence and then wrangling the fire breathing dragon for as safe a trail ride as I can make it. Somehow, though, and perhaps because of Qs advancing 8 years of age, his fiery reactions are now “less unsettling”.

Last Sunday I showed up on a chilly but sunshiny day to find Q head butting me on the crossties, constantly pawing the ground. I tossed him in the ring for a run and he gave me some good bucks in the process. I thought all was clear, but his energy went straight up again once we were on the trail. I pushed into a trot mighty quick, dropping those reins and letting him stride out until he gave his first big blowing sign. I knew it would take 5-10 minutes. But he wouldn’t stride out, sucking back with his head up like a giraffe. I kept pushing for forward but he was stuck. And then he spooked and spun into the bush. But he only did a 45 degree turn, so I put him back on the trail and we trotted out. And then he sighed.

So we are in a virtuous cycle. Where he gets occasionally hyper/nervous, but I just let him carry on without distractions. Nothing better than a lovely flat track of good footing to just let the horse move forward and relax into their body. Because I dont react, he then finds relaxation much faster. And when he reacts, I just keep moving forward not dwelling on the “mistake”. 

And so by being “less unsettled”, Q is becoming “less unsettling”. 

I missed most of the fall foliage because of a heavy work schedule, but here is what I snagged this week.








Comments

  1. TeresaAOctober 20, 2021 at 8:48 AM

    Jane tells me that the path to a calm horse is in the hind end going forward. You are proving her point perfectly.

    ReplyDelete

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