Good ride, cowboy, good ride!
To those LJ Friends who are horsey people.... CELEBRATE!
I tell ya... I rockin' & a rollin' with this! I'm still a bit green, but not as green as I was before. I'm invigorated when I work with these horses. Exhausting work, but it always brings a smile to my face. Tis great fun!
Phoebe... the miss bitch mare from hell as some believed her to be... her attitude has improved since last semester. We can't seem to figure out why. No one is arguing though! I rode for the first time in weeks today & did damn good! It was bareback with a rope halter & led. I was so proud of myself, my balance is still a tad off but getting there. SO easy to get that balance when bareback. But... Phoebe & I coordinated pretty good today. Had no troubles with her other than just at the beginning where she wanted to nip at the other horses. That was quickly rememdied... & she did very good. She's a bitchy mare but she is one you do have to understand a little before riding her. She does not trust all that quickly. She will tolerate to a certain point. If she doesn't like it, she will let you know. She didn't attempt to nip at me not put her ear back really at me which is a GREAT sign. I don't use hard brushes on her nor curry combs... she's that sensative physically. But there is that rare occasion I try it. She needs a bloody damn bath! My GOD! MUD COVERED! LOL... she's a cute, fat Morgan mare. Over 10 yrs old. She's rather loveable once you get to know her. She's a little rough sometimes but she never means any harm.
I gave her a treat after our ride today for putting up with me & our fabulous coordination. I didn't use my legs on her at all. I did what I could with my seat & the rope led as well as a little bit of my voice to reassure her of my appreciation of her.
So... another breakthrough today in working with Phoebe.
Now... mind you you all. For those of you who haven't a clue about what the hell just happened ... I've not been on a horse before the fall of '05 more than a half dozen times! So... I had NO clue of riding.
Phoebe is generally who I ride the most. Yoder is the other who I ride on occassion as well but she'd HUGE! A belgian draft that's around 18 hands! HUGE!
Anyway... Phoebe was a problem horse with me since I had no clue what I was doing & she appeared to be spazzing out for no apparently reason to me. Granted I was doing my best to control her & work with her as I was being instructed. But ... it wasn't working. Tried tutoring, etc. Changed classes...
Eventually, at the end of last semester she & I had it out... I nearly gave up & finally we had a eureka moment. She & I were finally coordinating. It still took a couple more tries again. My final... I did fairly well, granted I couldn't do everything that everyone else could do ... but, everyone has horses... I don't. So... I'm still learning. But... Phoebe & I did pretty decent on my riding final when before in another class before my mid-term she & I were just not coordinating at all by any means.
So... now... I think Phoebe & I are pretty much working at things a little bit more. She doesn't see me as an idiot, green human being any more... but someone determined to get through this & wanting to learn. Phoebe is a great teacher. She's brutally honest. Intelligent mare. She doesn't take BS, but she will not BS with you if you ask her in the manner you are to ask of her when riding or doing ground work.
It's great working with these horses. They BS with ya sometimes, but.. sometimes you have to BS with them back. Fabulous learning tools. They are more than enough to humble you & make you appreciate the little things. They can be your greatest ally & friend when respect is earned & you appreciate each other.
Ya reading this Linds? I know you are a big horsey person, too.
Seriously... Like I said years ago... someday I will be out east... both of us can go riding. Fox hunting sound fun? Either that or trail ride/cross country. ;) I'll eventually start getting there with the jumping as well.
I'll be a Horsewoman yet! ;)
I tell ya... I rockin' & a rollin' with this! I'm still a bit green, but not as green as I was before. I'm invigorated when I work with these horses. Exhausting work, but it always brings a smile to my face. Tis great fun!
Phoebe... the miss bitch mare from hell as some believed her to be... her attitude has improved since last semester. We can't seem to figure out why. No one is arguing though! I rode for the first time in weeks today & did damn good! It was bareback with a rope halter & led. I was so proud of myself, my balance is still a tad off but getting there. SO easy to get that balance when bareback. But... Phoebe & I coordinated pretty good today. Had no troubles with her other than just at the beginning where she wanted to nip at the other horses. That was quickly rememdied... & she did very good. She's a bitchy mare but she is one you do have to understand a little before riding her. She does not trust all that quickly. She will tolerate to a certain point. If she doesn't like it, she will let you know. She didn't attempt to nip at me not put her ear back really at me which is a GREAT sign. I don't use hard brushes on her nor curry combs... she's that sensative physically. But there is that rare occasion I try it. She needs a bloody damn bath! My GOD! MUD COVERED! LOL... she's a cute, fat Morgan mare. Over 10 yrs old. She's rather loveable once you get to know her. She's a little rough sometimes but she never means any harm.
I gave her a treat after our ride today for putting up with me & our fabulous coordination. I didn't use my legs on her at all. I did what I could with my seat & the rope led as well as a little bit of my voice to reassure her of my appreciation of her.
So... another breakthrough today in working with Phoebe.
Now... mind you you all. For those of you who haven't a clue about what the hell just happened ... I've not been on a horse before the fall of '05 more than a half dozen times! So... I had NO clue of riding.
Phoebe is generally who I ride the most. Yoder is the other who I ride on occassion as well but she'd HUGE! A belgian draft that's around 18 hands! HUGE!
Anyway... Phoebe was a problem horse with me since I had no clue what I was doing & she appeared to be spazzing out for no apparently reason to me. Granted I was doing my best to control her & work with her as I was being instructed. But ... it wasn't working. Tried tutoring, etc. Changed classes...
Eventually, at the end of last semester she & I had it out... I nearly gave up & finally we had a eureka moment. She & I were finally coordinating. It still took a couple more tries again. My final... I did fairly well, granted I couldn't do everything that everyone else could do ... but, everyone has horses... I don't. So... I'm still learning. But... Phoebe & I did pretty decent on my riding final when before in another class before my mid-term she & I were just not coordinating at all by any means.
So... now... I think Phoebe & I are pretty much working at things a little bit more. She doesn't see me as an idiot, green human being any more... but someone determined to get through this & wanting to learn. Phoebe is a great teacher. She's brutally honest. Intelligent mare. She doesn't take BS, but she will not BS with you if you ask her in the manner you are to ask of her when riding or doing ground work.
It's great working with these horses. They BS with ya sometimes, but.. sometimes you have to BS with them back. Fabulous learning tools. They are more than enough to humble you & make you appreciate the little things. They can be your greatest ally & friend when respect is earned & you appreciate each other.
Ya reading this Linds? I know you are a big horsey person, too.
Seriously... Like I said years ago... someday I will be out east... both of us can go riding. Fox hunting sound fun? Either that or trail ride/cross country. ;) I'll eventually start getting there with the jumping as well.
I'll be a Horsewoman yet! ;)