When I pulled up, our usually quiet and deserted barn looked more like Grand Central Station with rehab horses being walked, the driveway packed with cars, folks riding, doting husbands attempting to handwalk horses while wives were out of town, and me. and P. Attempting to find our rhythm.
I was somewhat glad for all the commotion. It oddly seems to quiet P down when she's working. I think she finds a busy ring more relaxing (friends!) and she seems to listen better when there's stuff going on. When its just us she has that teenage "NO MOM, let's go THIS WAY" attitude. As opposed when to when its bustling and she seems to rely on my direction in a different way. (I'll take it).
We tacked up, helped instruct a husband on how to lead his wife's horse. Then how to hold a brush. Then how to pick a foot, and finally how to walk around and graze the cute thing. (ps, what a good husband. There is no way that I'd ask the Boy to go out and groom/hand graze P if I was gone for a weekend...)
Anyway, There were two riders in the ring when I got in with P, so it was a bit crowded but she was so mellow on the lunge I just popped her through her paces quickly, then hopped on.
She tensed up a bit (normal), but didn't feel crazy... until horses started leaving. The last rider in the ring finished and started walking with us (my usual plan of just getting on and GOING was postponed by a chat with another boarder and the horse she's trying). Basically the boarder had decided she was not going to move forward with the mare she had on trial so she was ended her ride early (uh oh), we walked and chatted a bit about her decision before I got to work with P.
P was relaxed, but I think the extensive walk break worked against us, as she was back to her old antics of STOPPING when I asked for the trot.
(oh hell no, mare)
It didn't take much to get her moving forward, but I was irritated she even attempted it. Her trot was springy and energized as soon as we actually got our transition, so that was nice. If she's going to be sticky, at least she isn't dragging it into our work.... Once we were going, she was oddly well behaved. She dropped to long and low pretty quickly, moved off my inside leg (YAY), and seemed to accept pretty much everything else. We spiraled, we figure-eighted, big circles, small circles, lengthened on the diagonal, everything. Her canter was balanced and together.. I didn't have to beat her forward down the longsides... all good things.
Since she was being so good I opted to quit early while I was ahead. All in all she probably only worked for 30 minutes, but after our initial stick, she was a gem (on our relative gem-scale). After I let her cool out for a bit I did decide to test her one last time and asked for the trot.
Negative Ghost Rider...
Soooooo I gather my reins, spurred the little witch and asked again.
aaahhhhh, NOPE.
(WITCH)
Circle, smack, smack, and we were good to go.
I made her work for another 2 minutes until she was reaching forward and relaxing again, then we called it a day. I'm still annoyed about this little sticky BS that's creeping back in, though I am thrilled that there's no kicking or bucking against my leg. So that feels like HUUUUGE progress.
While I was untacking I noticed that the mare's "antsy" level in the crossties is back to where it was pre-regumate and pre-supermom.
Then as I was putting her away I noticed that the barn dog had his snout in P's grain bucket munching on her dinner... .which is the meal that she gets her regu-mate..
Has he been stealing her hormones?? Pia's general attitude the last couple days has just felt bitchier than the general chill factor she's had since the regu-mate started... I don't know if it's connected to the dog stealing her lady-drugs, or if she's just testing/grumpy/something. Who knows, I'll just keep an eye on it (and mention it to the BO so that she can keep an eye on her dog, or at least know why he starts growing lady-boobs)....
That's no good about the dog!! That can't hurt him can it? It could be that he's stealing it or maybe the dosage isn't right yet? I don't know how dosage works with it, but it's a possibility. Sorry she's being a brat again.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked your saddle? I'm trying to think what else can cause stickiness . . . bit or teeth? I just don't know for sure. I hope someone else has a good suggestion for you.
Bad dog! I swear, dogs will eat anything. Hope he's going to be just fine.
ReplyDeleteIt could very well be that she's not getting all she's supposed to because of the dog. Good luck figuring that one out! I'm glad she's doing better with you, and I hope improvement just keeps coming! www.timsboots.com
Oh dear, that poor dog's going to be so out of whack! My god.
ReplyDeleteI remember one day I needed some riding videos for something or someone having to do with school. I headed out to the barn, expecting to see nobody as usual. In the five or so months that I'd been at that barn, I'd ridden with another person three times, and generally not for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately, the one night I need a quiet and empty arena, two different riders join me for the duration of my ride. Talk about bad luck!
Ugh. Mares.
ReplyDeleteSome days, you have to wonder. I console myself by remembering that at least they have moments, unlike geldings who are generally the same day in and day out.