I decided to take Lucy on another little trail ride yesterday. I wanted to get some photos of her in the field with her boots on so my friend followed along with the camera.
It started out well enough:
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| we hopped a little log on the trail |
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| looked into the sunset together |
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| had a nice cruise around the fields |
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| Lucy wanted to RUN. I said no. She was annoyed. |
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| but overall she was listening well. |
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| she was moving great thanks to the hoof boots |
Then I asked her to trot up a little embankment and things got a little nutty:
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we trotted up and across the little hill, and on the opposite side she pricked her
ears at something off in the distance, arched her neck, and then... |
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| off we went! here I am whispering sweet nothings into her ear..NOT |
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| we sproinged |
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| we bounced |
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| we leaped |
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I was beginning to think we'd been cast in the War Horse sequel and no one
told me. |
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| or maybe Lucy had been cast as Tigger in a Winnie the Pooh movie. |
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| Just like Tigger says, Lucy was so happy she felt like bouncing! |
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| more sweet nothing aka words I cannot mention on a public blog |
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she was doing all of these fun moves right on the edge of a good-sized basin.
every time she'd come down from a rear, bam, there was the edge of the
embankment. I finally got her to land with her front feet down into the dip,
because I knew it would be next to impossible to rear with her butt above her
head. |
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|
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| looking back at my friend like, did you just SEE THAT?! |
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| when I recovered, we tried again. how's this for defensive riding position? |
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she was pretty good. she tried to get a bit silly but I told her to knock it off
in my most growl-y tiger-like voice. |
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then she got a pat, though I secretly wanted to smack her right upside the head.
BAD HORSE. |
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| I was a bit in shock still here, I think |
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| then I got off and hand walked her all the way home |
She was not trying to get me off. She was exuberant, feeling good, feeling very sound and happy to be out. Still, this was 100% UNACCEPTABLE. Rearing, in my opinion, is NEVER ok. I was caught way off guard and I am beyond happy that my heels have this ridiculous defense mechanism of locking when they need to keep me anchored into the saddle.
Thank you to my childhood hunt seat trainer for developing excellent heel position.
I lunged the snot out of her today, and she went in a bit for the first time since she injured her mouth. Everything's completely healed and she clearly needed something to think about. I put her in a Herm Sprenger KK jointed snaffle and she did really well. Tomorrow I will lunge again and then ride.
YEEHAW!
Those pictures are crazy! I can't imagine how you stayed on - I definitely would have been on the ground. Also, is it just me, or does she have a rather innocent look to her face the whole time (minus, you know, the jumping in the air bit)?
ReplyDeleteoh yeah, she was having a blast
DeleteCongrats on staying on. Bad Lucy! I like to think I would have stayed on too but I highly doubt that. The fact that your friend got some awesome pictures is a huge bonus.
ReplyDeleteVelcro butt is right, da-yum girl I am impressed! With you not with the bitchy bad moves of Lucy.
ReplyDeleteWow! You definitely get a buckle for that ride. I have ridden out many a bucking fit, but I'm in a western saddle.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to ask you a question, though. Since I ride western, I don't ride with contact, but I do, on occasion ride in a hackamore (although with Lily I only ride in a halter). I was told not to ride with contact in mechanical hackamore because it puts constant pressure on their nose which is tough to tolerate. Of course it's difficult to tell from the photos, but I was wondering if you always keep contact. When she shakes her head so much, it made me wonder about it. You have much more experience than me, so I would love to hear your thoughts.
Lucy has never been a horse I can ride faster than a walk in an open space without some kind of contact. If I can't at least have light contact in a hackamore, then it isn't for us. I rarely let her go all the way but I do keep a very soft hand, lots of half halts and then releases when I get a reaction from her.
DeleteExcellent pictures, and most excellent good riding! Thanks for the armchair thrill. (I'll enjoy bucking vicariously through you, so my 5 year old won't feel the need to do any himself. That'll work, right?)
ReplyDeletehow the HECK did you stay on?! You should become a bronc rider. However, I am impressed with the still shots, I love them, even if she is being naughty. Who takes them and how do they get ALL of the spaz attacks?
ReplyDeleteno idea but I get my fill of bronco moves with this horse :D
Deletewoops, to answer the question about my photographers, they are in the right place at the right time!! I am so lucky to have friends and my husband who are willing to come out and take photos for me.
Deletethere have been lots of spaz attacks missed on film, but I don't particularly want to remember then ALL, anyway :)
Good Ride! The longer that goes on the closer the ground gets. My butt has been saved more than once by heels reaching for the ground, and yes, it has to be a reflex, no time to think.
ReplyDeleteI think lunging sounds like an excellent idea.
Damn girl, you have one impressive seat there!! Yay for hunter heels saving the day. Cool pictures too.
ReplyDeleteGotta agree with you that rearing is 100% not allowed. It scares me in ways that bucking/spooking/freaking out never does.
I HATE HATE HATE rearing. So scary. You are a pretty freaking awesome rider. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteYikes! Gnashing teeth here over Lucy's antics. Glad she's feeling so good, but yikes! You can see "I'm gonna tune you out" in her eye on the "off we went" photo. Good thing you're a fabulous rider.
ReplyDeleteWow, thank goodness Lucy has a rider like you! Good idea to dismount and hand walk her to avoid any other rearing moments like that.
ReplyDelete