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Monday, July 6, 2015

Getting Comfortable

safety first, kids!
Due to the incident with the trailer and generally being a horse, Courage has had moments of not quite right for the past week or so. Honestly, I was expecting it. It hasn't been a big deal--we've spent a lot of time hacking around at the walk and our few "work" rides since the show have mostly been long and long stretching. Courage had a pretty intense month in June and it is definitely time to dial things back, which actually coincides nicely with the god-awful heatwave we've been having.

Dear weather: take your 110f and go somewhere else. No one wants you here.

It's been fun, though. All the work and effort we put in to showing this past month really helped Coruage grow up and understand his job. He feels a little different to sit on. I mean, it's not a huge distinction, but now I call him a confirmed training level horse.

More than that though, the fact that we did all this together has really changed the way I ride him.

His saddle is starting to feel like "home" for me, if you know what that means. Like I climb on and hack on the buckle and I don't care that he's tense and threatening to be stupid because he's my horse and I know him and I know I can ride what he throws at me.

And I think that confidence on my end transfers over to him.
because pulling makes stretchy trot better

He's had some bodywork and time off and we're ready to start putting things back together, hopefully in time for one more go at training level before fall. We're going back to the facility where I almost got dumped last time, but that doesn't really bother me. 

We've got this. 

14 comments:

  1. That 'home' feeling is the absolute best! :) So happy for you that things have turned a corner in your relationship with Courage.

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  2. YAY! Love happy, confident posts like these. You and Courage are such a great team :)

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  3. You two have definitely made yourselves into a solid little team. I love that "home" feeling. I know it well :)

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  4. I love that switch that usually happens sometimes in year two where it changes from a strange horse to YOUR horse.

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  5. That connection is the best possible feeling in the world :) In love with that last picture, it's so happy!

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  6. "His saddle is starting to feel like "home" for me, if you know what that means." <-- Totally know what you mean!!

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  7. sounds like a good place to be!! i'm looking forward to taking a little mid-summer break and deep breath before starting back up again

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  8. YES to that "at home" feeling in the saddle. On some horses it can take a looooong time to get it, but its a good feeling.

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  9. Love the way you put that "at home". When Pongo was hurt last year I felt so terribly out of sorts on all the other horses I ride because they weren't MY horse. Happy for you guys :)

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  10. Yay! What a great feeling!!!

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  11. I just love Ellie's pictures. And you two in them.

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  12. Isn't it amazing when you finally realize that your horse actually feels like YOUR HORSE and that the others you ride now feel a little different?

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  13. Sometimes I think they all need a mental break

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