Lesson Plans...

Note: This is for yesterday! Today I have a physics test; yesterday was barn day.

It was so heart-ache-inducingly beautiful yesterday that I absolutely had to go ride. There was no question. So I fled for the barn as soon as I could get away.

My lesson plan was groundwork: forward motion. I looked around for a dressage whip or something like that so I could tell her to step forward from her hind end, instead of drag herself forward with her front end, but I couldn't find one.

So I just went out to catch her and play it by ear. (What did I tell you about lesson plans? Haha)

I think she was happy to see me, 'cause this is what she did when she saw me:

Good girl! Progress! She usually doesn't walk towards me; she makes me do it. I'm glad I waited for her to come to me. Good lesson to learn!

So I love on her and she rubs her face on me and drops her head into my hands and lets me pet her for a few minutes. I always do this when I catch her because I don't want her to feel like I'm rushing through our hello; if I were a horse, and my owner came to see me, I wouldn't just want to be snagged and ridden without a proper hello or some face time first. So I try to make sure she knows that I am very pleased to see her! Saddle or not.

And we were off!

I clicked her for keeping with me, paying attention, walking off when I did, and stopping when I did. We had a nice little groundwork lesson, and she had her leadrope over her neck the entire time - I barely actually led her. We mostly just walked side by side.

We walked up to the concrete that marks our official approach to the stall and she stops and is a little stubborn about it. "But Mom, I don't like stalls. Or concrete." I clicked her a few times for forward motion, reset her a few times (by walking back to her shoulder, waiting, and then walking off again to let her decide to follow) instead of pulling her forward. She soon walked onto the concrete no problem.

Then, Chi & Nick must've moved the plastic chairs, because they weren't around on this side before. Reina got all snorty and looked at them, so I clicked her for looking at them.

She walked over to them: more treats!

She caught onto this game really quickly:

Such a smart girl!

She even tried pawing at it to see if I wanted her to touch it with her hoof.

Sorry it's blurry; but that hoof was caught mid-paw! haha.

After that, I led her on to her stall. I stayed outside; clicked her for looking at it once. I walked inside; clicked her for walking one step towards it. Then... she walked inside all by herself, no pressure needed! She got lots of treats for that. For posterity's sake, I walked her out and back in twice more; she didn't even hesitate. I am SO proud! She's still not completely comfortable when I leave her alone in there, but at least she trusts me enough to go into one when I ask her to without any fuss. Progress!!

So, at this point, I fought myself. I wanted more than anything to hop up on her and gallop across a field - but I knew we weren't ready for that, we'd barely done trotwork, she lacks natural rhythm and varies her speed more than the wind, etc., etc. And I promised that I would give her a day off and do groundwork!


...I got my saddle.

I could not resist the beautiful, sunny, blue, 83-degree day. It was calling, calling, calling to me! It said: "Go fast!!!"

I hopped up on Rei and off we went! I asked for a trot at first, just a little, and I think I confused her because I don't usually ask. But she went after a little urging, and I clicked, and gave her a treat. Suddenly, she realized that forward motion was okay - encouraged, even! - and that I wanted to go fast, too. We trotted for a bit, and then I let her canter, and then I leaned forward and suddenly we were tearing across the ground, irresponsible and absolutely loving every stride!

The first time it happened, she just slowed choppily, looked, and went to the right. I lost a stirrup in the process but I was never in danger of falling. This is what I meant about us not being ready - she's flighty, especially at speed. I can't quite trust her to warn me well enough of what she's thinking to be properly ready, if that makes sense. She can go from zero to gallop in nothing flat, which ROCKS - but, she can also go from gallop to zero in nothing flat, which is less desirable when you're on a Thoroughbred in an English saddle in two-point. It'd look great in the reining ring, but alas... I'm not a reiner! And lord knows she's not, either, lol!

So... the first time, no problem. My biggest mistake here was letting her pick where she wanted to go; we were headed full-throttle for the clangy gate of doom, and I know that this way holds spooky things. She always stops and looks before we get there. I knew this. She knew this. Why she steered us there... no clue. Why I let her? Even less sure about that one. I felt her hesitate, I felt her start to look, and suddenly she stopped and went left, and I kept going forward and right.

I fell off! For the first time in 6+ years, I fell off a horse. I was almost proud of myself; I was re-initiated into the Dusty Butt Club. In a way, I think I was asking for it. Like I was waiting for it, so we could continue in our training. I know that sounds silly, but it's like - what's the worst that can happen? Oh, I might fall! She might spook! Well... both of those things happened, and I'm okay. She was totally fine. She walked off to eat hay (thanks, Reina, I'm totally fine, thanks for asking!) and I got right up. My shoulder and neck are a little sore, and I have some pretty nasty rope burn on my hand. But apart from that... we're totally unscathed.

I got up and got back on.

We walked a bit, then trotted, then cantered. I steered this time (yay me!), but it was really tough because my left hand had some layers of skin missing (the down side to rope reins, huh?). We managed, though, and she was perfect; we went through the gaits in a big circle around her paddock and she listened and responded beautifully. She's a joy to ride, she listened to the bitless bridle really well, and we even galloped some more! (Because, really, on a day like yesterday, who wouldn't?)

To be honest, I felt so alive up there after my fall! Maybe it should've shaken my confidence, but it wasn't her fault; if it was anyone's, it was mine! I didn't blame her one single bit, and she was shockingly amazing through her trot and canter. She obviously had some gait training; I'm thinking racehorse training, now (can't steer, motorcycle-type balance, no rhythm, but knows gait cues? Yup, that's a racehorse!). But it was very fun, and she obviously enjoyed herself, and really did respond beautifully. I was very proud of her!

I kept it really short, as we're both out of shape and she still needs a lot of weight. Honestly, I probably should've given her the day off. But we had so much fun together that I don't think she minded one bit. She was all ears-pricked and can-I-go!? I'm enjoying my horse immensely. I felt like, yesterday, I found her heart while I was in the saddle (I've already found it on the ground). We were so in sync! I barely used my leg after the first few times asking. And something bad happened, and neither of us cared; we just had to find some way to enjoy the delicious day we were given together!

So we quit early, and I rinsed her off (she was a teensy bit sweaty under the saddle/girth), and fed her once she'd cooled off a bit. Then I spent the next 15 minutes searching frantically for my phone that somehow fell out of my pack sometime after we quit. Silly phone finally showed up (thank goodness, it was unscathed... dirty, but unscathed!)!

So I walked her out to her paddock after a day full of excitement, and this is what she said about that:

She's kind of a pig - she snuck a bite of hay while I was walking her to her paddock. I don't mind, though; she needs the weight, and it adds character! ;) Clearly, she was unconcerned about my fall. She didn't like it, naturally, and she didn't even think about spooking again once I was back on; but it didn't scar her for life or anything.. she bounced back even better.

Then, when I did turn her back out, she trotted right back to her hay. Silly, silly mare!

Here's a link to the picture of my hand once I got home yesterday. It's not that bad - it hurt a hell of a lot worse than it looks, I think! It's not pretty; there's no blood, but it's kinda calloused and there's definitely some skin layers missing in places. So if you're squeamish, don't click it! :) If you're curious, though, it's here!

Lesson learned. I'm investing in riding gloves!