Me: "Ok, right lead canter... now."
Her: Trot a little quicker and otherwise ignore me.
Me: Smack her with the ends of the split reins pretty hard.
Her: Angry pony takes off bucking and galloping "Ouch, that bloody hurt."
Me: Pulls Izzy up and shouts, "Knock it off, you horrid horse!"
Unfortunately, the BO's husband walked in to feed just as I was shouting, so all he saw was the crazy b*tch who rides her warmblood western calling the poor thing a 'horrid horse'.
You just can't win some days.
Overall, she was pretty good, aside from being really, really distracted that everyone else was getting fed and she was not. That annoyed me, so I made her canter around the arena A LOT, then left her out there to roll while I put some stuff away, then tied her up outside the tackroom to groom and resaddle her (no way I'm toting that massive thing across the road alone), and then made her stand in the cross ties in her barn.
It wasn't all cold heartedness--she was soaked in sweat, and I put her new cooler on her.
It looks great and works really well. I let her eat her grain in the crossties, then left the cooler on her while I cleaned up the aisle, so about 20ish minutes probably. She was nice and warm and dry when I took it off before leaving for the night.
That makes me feel better. Before, I was nervous about working her very hard because I didn't want to make her sweat, then leave her wet and cold in her stall. No fun.
I'm looking forward to actually putting some english tack on and doing a real dressage ride this afternoon. I'm curious to see how it will go after our western work. (Plus, maybe the outdoor arena will finally be rideable).
"Horrid horse" is a lot milder than some of the language I have used with my Boys. *G*
ReplyDeleteSo frustrating when they don't respond to the aids like that. Clearly Ms. Izzy needs some remedial work. Sounds as if you made a good start.
Glad the cooler worked so well. It will make things a lot easier.
I had an audience of about 10 when I screamed "Mother F#*ker" to Laz one day...so I think you are find :)
ReplyDeleteNice cooler!
Might want to try this - instead of thinking "faster" or "canter", think 1-2-3 instead of 1-2 1-2, and feel it in your own body first, and exhale (if you can as the driving (outside) hind leg is leaving the ground at the trot)- it works wonders. Usually if horses go faster in trot instead of cantering, it's because that's what they think we're asking for, or because we're mistiming the aids so that the legs of the horse aren't in the correct position to pick up the canter.
ReplyDeleteMy horsey interpretation of Izzy's behavior goes a bit like this: "I am a bollocking warmblood, NOT some little cow pony! I do not wish to wear a 9,000 lb. silver-laden saddle and I am guessing that you're not so keen on the idea of blindingly-bedazzled Lycra shirts, so let's get our booties back to English Land!! George Morris is waking up screaming every night and he has no idea why!!"
ReplyDelete;-)
All said in love, of course.
Love the new cooler! I am going through the same thing right now, as Certs is yack-wooly and his owner doesn't like the look of a body-clipped pony, so I am sending tons of time walking with the cooler, currying, etc.
Love the cooler - she looks very beuatiful
ReplyDelete