owwwwwww!
I've been riding Goalie now for about a week and a half. 4 times in such a short time frame after two years off is very painful for me! Everyone at Windgate says he bites and attacks other horses but it's bullshit. Yeah, sometimes when they pass too close he pins his ears but a loud "GOALIE!" and a flick of the whip - he's fine. The first time I rode him I just walked. I was getting a feel of how he went, what he could and couldn't do, if he really did attack other horses, etc. I was also reacquiting my muscles with riding. The next time I trotted a few steps along the long sides. He's got a gigantic stride that is very bouncy. The next time I did a lot of trotting and some walking without stirrups. I probably rode for about 45 min, about 20 of them trotting (off and on). Tonight I rode mostly trotting. I rode for about 45 min again. He wasn't spooky or cranky towards horses. He was really good! I need to work on keeping my body over my legs and not infront of them, and landing softly on his back. I also need to steer him better, as he still doesn't know how to turn well. When I was done, I hopped on bareback to walk for a bit to cool him out. He's very boney! I hope when he gets more muscle he will be less boney. I tried to clean his stall today with the little bedding as he had. I don't think stalls needs to be perfectly clean, but the pee spots should be taken out daily and the poop. When I was younger I thought the stalls had to be damn near stripped daily. I understand now that they don't have to be, but I still wish he had a bit more bedding. Things sure have changed since I rode there. We always used to water the horses, sweep the isles, put all the brushes and tack away, clean buckets, etc. Whatever had to be done - we did it. Now, hardly anyone does it. It's mostly just the people who used to ride there years ago. Now we're lucky if they even sweep up after their own horse. Tonight I didn't sweep the whole isle- I was bitter that no one else did. I put away one set of tack that someone had left out, but didn't bother with brushes. What's the point? If I keep doing it no one will learn to themselves. It should be required that you clean up after yourself.