[Riding] An Old Friend...
So, this month I finally gave up my half-lease on Derby. I love the horse, but he's no longer right for me for several reasons (mostly that he's too stiff and old to do what I need to be doing in my hunter lessons anymore, and he's too stiff to do dressage at all, and dressage was what I wanted to do in hack sessions).
For dressage, I remain on the giant Appaloosa, Fabio. I am still half-considering swapping to dressage as my primary ride, down the road, but in the meantime my hunter instructor has put me on a different horse for my hunter work. An old friend, though one of the younger horses in the stable.
Most of my height is in my legs, which means that the best horse for me is either a larger horse (like a warmblood or a very large TB), or a stockier horse (like a quarterhorse). Derby is, unfortunately, neither a large horse, nor a stocky one; he's slab-sided, which means I have never had a terribly comfortable leg position on him. Still, he had a lot to teach me about riding nonetheless... but we're at the point where he's not the best horse to match me with.
Ages ago, I got taken off of a certain bratty bay quarterhorse because I'd reached the point of what he had to teach me (dealing with stubborn horses) but was not yet at a level as a rider where I could really utilize him to his full potential (i.e., make him canter, do caveletti exercises, anything that wasn't jumping). Now apparently I am, so my instructor has returned me to Roman for the moment.
After Tuesday -- my first time back on Roman -- I do now recall why this horse is nicknamed 'the Thighmaster' by some. Still, I was able to get him to canter, to keep moving, and generally to participate in all the exercises. (One of my classmates, who tried riding Roman in the past and gave up in despair, was quite impressed.) Roman was not thrilled; he was a pill in the aisle while I tried to tack up, he was stubborn about going into the ring, and generally not happy with the state of affairs. But by the end of the lesson we'd come to something approaching our old agreement; when done, he nuzzled up and leaned like old times, and tugged on my jacket while grooming until I gave him a carrot.
It can be good to see old friends again. :)
For dressage, I remain on the giant Appaloosa, Fabio. I am still half-considering swapping to dressage as my primary ride, down the road, but in the meantime my hunter instructor has put me on a different horse for my hunter work. An old friend, though one of the younger horses in the stable.
Most of my height is in my legs, which means that the best horse for me is either a larger horse (like a warmblood or a very large TB), or a stockier horse (like a quarterhorse). Derby is, unfortunately, neither a large horse, nor a stocky one; he's slab-sided, which means I have never had a terribly comfortable leg position on him. Still, he had a lot to teach me about riding nonetheless... but we're at the point where he's not the best horse to match me with.
Ages ago, I got taken off of a certain bratty bay quarterhorse because I'd reached the point of what he had to teach me (dealing with stubborn horses) but was not yet at a level as a rider where I could really utilize him to his full potential (i.e., make him canter, do caveletti exercises, anything that wasn't jumping). Now apparently I am, so my instructor has returned me to Roman for the moment.
After Tuesday -- my first time back on Roman -- I do now recall why this horse is nicknamed 'the Thighmaster' by some. Still, I was able to get him to canter, to keep moving, and generally to participate in all the exercises. (One of my classmates, who tried riding Roman in the past and gave up in despair, was quite impressed.) Roman was not thrilled; he was a pill in the aisle while I tried to tack up, he was stubborn about going into the ring, and generally not happy with the state of affairs. But by the end of the lesson we'd come to something approaching our old agreement; when done, he nuzzled up and leaned like old times, and tugged on my jacket while grooming until I gave him a carrot.
It can be good to see old friends again. :)