Success: Defined

I suppose the public may not define success that way, however, and that is where my perception and the truth, for me anyway, clash. I often think that people only want those that are winning to help them; and that if I were, for instance to help someone somewhere that a girl who is winning might think (or say), “What business does she have helping her?” But that would be her problem then wouldn’t it? And that’s where I need to remind myself that I was chosen more likely than not, because someone, somewhere saw my horses riding around and liked what they saw. I have had people tell me that they really love how my horses ride around, and that’s why they want to send me their horses (Ve, you’re one of them!).

On Friday, I rode my horse knowing that I want him to be more broke. Understanding that our shortcoming, or problem area, if you will, is that I can’t really gather him up, and have him come back to me from a gallop or a run. Oh, I suppose I can, but the reaction time is really too slow to do much good when you’re needing to make a 17 second run. Friday we worked on stopping and gathering up. We walked on a soft feel, and carried that to a stop. Then we carried our soft feel up to a trot where I’d release him, ask for him to bridle up again, and from that soft feel we’d stop and back up a step. When I got him where everytime I picked up at that speed he’d come back to me and was really hunting the ground, we began to lope. He was so soft by this time, that he honestly felt just like the reining/reined cow horses I used to ride in college. I couldn’t even get him to come out of the softness and roundness, and when I’d ask him to stop it was beautiful. Another week of riding like that, and I’d be able to put some slide plates on him, and have him sliding like a reiner. Needless to say, I was very pleased. We did some speed control work at this time, riding a slow lope, then a faster lope and having him come back to me. It was just fantastic how well he did. We also worked on canter departures and those just got better and better as well.

Yesterday, I picked my sister up at the airport. She came for a visit (and I’m glad she was able to get away!) and when we got back from town and grocery shopping she and I headed to the barn. I tried to talk her into riding, but she was tired from a long day of traveling. Instead, she just watched Ty ride Chachi around, and watched me ride Gump. We first worked on getting really collected like we had the day before. That went well, so I asked for a lead change. I missed it the first time- he got it in the front but not in the back. I set it up and tried again. And this time…it worked! My first correct flying lead change, where I didn’t move his shoulders to get it! I moved his hips, at a lope and got a lead change. Zach says to me, “You can get off now.” Because he knows, that had he not said that, I’d have asked again and again. Instead I just went on to something different- working on gathering him up from a gallop. It’s not pretty yet, but he did come back to me, and then allowed me to slow him down. Today it will be better. Tomorrow even better and by the end of the week it should be good, as long as I’m consistent and patient.

I think I have Meg (my sister) talked into riding today. That will be good. I also have video of Ty riding the absolutely gorgeous Poco Tivio Pep or Chachi as we call him. And I fully intend to share that with you, my faithful reader. I plan to ride Dino, Gump’s 2yo half brother today as well.

Have a super Sunday!