From school one day with a shiner on my eye… 
If you haven’t heard that song, it’s all about Daddy’s love and blah, blah, blah; it’s a good song, but really it has nothing to do with my current state of affairs, save for the black eye part.
Yes.
You.
Read.
That.
Right.
I’m rockin’ the black eye.
What started as a gorgeous, dry, sunny, Friday, where I was determined to ride every horse on the place, ended up with me being bucked off my cool as a cucumber colt, DX Jurassic Classic, Dino. I was riding him in a halter and lead rope, much like ride number one, even though this was ride #13, because I’ve been inconsistent, at best, since being in Texas when it comes to riding my colt. Colts are, admittedly, not my favorites to ride- I’d much prefer a crazed barrel horse that has alley problems. Go figure. It all boils down to my confidence level. I know that I am capable of helping that crazed barrel horse un-track and get better. I don’t, however, attack my colts with that same confidence and it shows through to them. They feel me being nervous and think, well gosh, if she’s nervous, maybe I should be nervous and it all falls apart from there. I’m not always nervous, but for some reason I was on Friday. The only way to combat these nerves and get over it is to climb on countless colts, so that, my friends, is what I must do. That and learn to be patient, slow my hands and my thought process down, and do more going with them, instead of coaching them on where I’d rather have them go. And I might have to go back to the way I feel more comfortable starting a colt- which is bitting them up and riding them in a bridle from ride number one- not riding them in a halter. You don’t have any control either way, but at least with a bridle I feel like I have more control, which manifests itself though confidence.
Here is video of me on Shuttle who I started a few years ago:
Ride #3
And here is video of me on Dino- Ride #5.
Do I look equally comfortable? Well maybe you shouldn’t answer that, since Zach is comforting, and I don’t have him around…yet. But guess who flies in on Thursday? Oh yes! My Cowboy! So I intend to have him help me ride Dino and a new pretty blue colt I got in on Saturday. Well see how much riding we get in around the barrel race that I’m entered in for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But hopefully we’ll get enough riding in that my confidence level can improve.
In the meantime, if you’ve got words of wisdom, I’m all ears.
Go with what makes you most comfortable for sure! I bridle them long before their first ride for groundwork and I ride them every time with the bridle, but everyone has their own program, that is just my preference.
I think you are doing awesome! The fact that you are doing it at all is what matters the most!
Maybe this colt needs a different approach than some of your past steeds. I have a planner/calendar that I received for Christmas that has some wonderful “pearls” of wisdom written on the bottom of each page. This quote struck me along with another one also. Here goes:
We don’t teach all children the same way, all horses don’t learn in exactly the same way either.
Fear almost always arises-in horses as well as people-from concern about what might happen, and much more rarely from what is happening. Mary Wanless
The second quote might help to relieve some of your fears. I agree with Kimberly, the fact still is that you are braver than I!!! Good luck
When I was younger I loved getting on those young colts and breaking them out, now that I’m older and I realize the dangers involved I’d much rather ride a broke horse! We always used bozzles instead of bridles for the first few rides, seemed to really help getting them under control if needed. Good luck at your races this weekend, I’m jealous! And enjoy the company of your man!
I love hearing about all this. But I’m so sorry you have a shiner!!
Zach will have to kiss it.
A horse gave you a black eye…not a fair fight!
Sorry you had a rough day!
Starting colts is an interesting concept isn’t it? You try to ride quietly so as not to startle them, but often end up having to ride very actively…lots of bumping with legs and clucking and moving hands around.
I’ve started colts in halters and I’m okay with it for the first couple or three rides, but then after that, I ride with a snaffle. They gotta get used to a bit sometime, might as well move things along.;-)