I did it!!
Aaahh!!
I did it!!
Okay, so it really doesn't seem like a huge deal, I'm sure... but I finally kicked my butt into gear and rode Blue in the round-pen. Saddled him up, lunged him a bit first... got the bridle on. Grabbed my mounting block and he was kinda fidgety about that for a minute, then he smelled it, figured out it wouldn't eat it and just stood there to be mounted like the good boy I know he is. I even threw it around a little bit to see if he'd freak out. Success! Just watched me like I'm a loony.
I got up on the mounting block... and whoo... it's been a while. I'd say at least 8 months since I've ridden any horse, much less Blue. My heart started pounding pretty hard, and it just looked really really /high/ up there. So I stood there on the mounting block for a bit, and just breathed. And breathed some more.
FInally got up there. That's when I realized how much my leg muscles have deteriorated. Ugh. Seriously, it was hard to pull myself up there, even from a mounting block. It was awkward and not a tinge of grace in the movement at all. One more thing I need to work on!
Anyway. Once up there, it really wasn't all that bad. Considering how long its been, I think we both did rather well!
Blue's a lot less spooky and tense now that he's on the SmartCalm Ultra pellets... its a night/day change. I'm pleasantly surprised. He is just as lazy as always, though. He doesn't enjoy round-pen or arena work at all. He'll do it, but he needs A LOT of motivation. We walked for a bit, circled, figure 8s, stops, backed up... trotted for a little while. All in all, not too bad! He got distracted a few times by other things going on around the ranch, but just stopped and watched... no spook or blowing or tensing. And he'd go back to work when I asked, so I'm happy.
When I dismounted... oh man. Blue was great, just stood still and took the abuse. But man oh man... I have absolutely no muscles in my legs. I could not, for the life of me, lift my leg over his back. I just couldn't. I had to drag it across. O_O How sad is that?? I so have to work on my legs. Squats, calf-raisers, etc. I can't keep it like this, its embarrassing.
All in all, awesome ride. :)
Yay us!
I did it!!
Okay, so it really doesn't seem like a huge deal, I'm sure... but I finally kicked my butt into gear and rode Blue in the round-pen. Saddled him up, lunged him a bit first... got the bridle on. Grabbed my mounting block and he was kinda fidgety about that for a minute, then he smelled it, figured out it wouldn't eat it and just stood there to be mounted like the good boy I know he is. I even threw it around a little bit to see if he'd freak out. Success! Just watched me like I'm a loony.
I got up on the mounting block... and whoo... it's been a while. I'd say at least 8 months since I've ridden any horse, much less Blue. My heart started pounding pretty hard, and it just looked really really /high/ up there. So I stood there on the mounting block for a bit, and just breathed. And breathed some more.
FInally got up there. That's when I realized how much my leg muscles have deteriorated. Ugh. Seriously, it was hard to pull myself up there, even from a mounting block. It was awkward and not a tinge of grace in the movement at all. One more thing I need to work on!
Anyway. Once up there, it really wasn't all that bad. Considering how long its been, I think we both did rather well!
Blue's a lot less spooky and tense now that he's on the SmartCalm Ultra pellets... its a night/day change. I'm pleasantly surprised. He is just as lazy as always, though. He doesn't enjoy round-pen or arena work at all. He'll do it, but he needs A LOT of motivation. We walked for a bit, circled, figure 8s, stops, backed up... trotted for a little while. All in all, not too bad! He got distracted a few times by other things going on around the ranch, but just stopped and watched... no spook or blowing or tensing. And he'd go back to work when I asked, so I'm happy.
When I dismounted... oh man. Blue was great, just stood still and took the abuse. But man oh man... I have absolutely no muscles in my legs. I could not, for the life of me, lift my leg over his back. I just couldn't. I had to drag it across. O_O How sad is that?? I so have to work on my legs. Squats, calf-raisers, etc. I can't keep it like this, its embarrassing.
All in all, awesome ride. :)
Yay us!