Out of excuses...
I got the yard owner to fix the school fence a week or so back and my saddle arrived back from the maker ( after having a stirrup bar replaced ) on Saturday so I had used up my list of excuses from when Zorro started trying to persuade me that he was a rollercoaster. We've been doing some regular lungeing, working to get him really thinking and moving forward and giving him plenty to do to keep his mind on the job.
All of which helped, but some bridges can only be fixed by crossing them and it was fairly clear that the next time I rode there was a very good chance that I would have to sit out a bit of a grumpy cob moment. Happily evil_c and her Asher came over to visit the ponies on Saturday afternoon and her phone could take video. I figured if I was going to go crashing I might as well do it on camera. Happily when I did get on ( after the lungeing and groundwork were both looking alright ) and the hissy fit did happen I was able to sit it out and keep asking him to go forward until he did.
I don't really feel he was trying to get rid of me ( I've seen how he bucks in the field and he certainly could if he were so inclined ) I think he just wanted to make it uncomfortable for me to be there and hope that I would leave him in peace. Once we established that no, I wasn't going to get off and no, I wasn't going to stop asking him to move forward he worked out that actually it was easier and more energy efficient to do the thing I was asking for and gave me some really nice walk and trot that certainly had a lot of the forwardness we have been working on so that is really paying off.
I rode again today and Zorro was really well behaved- not a thought of bucking and aside from his classic drifting shoulder he was remarkably compliant. Certainly a good starting point for the clinic we're attending this weekend.
All of which helped, but some bridges can only be fixed by crossing them and it was fairly clear that the next time I rode there was a very good chance that I would have to sit out a bit of a grumpy cob moment. Happily evil_c and her Asher came over to visit the ponies on Saturday afternoon and her phone could take video. I figured if I was going to go crashing I might as well do it on camera. Happily when I did get on ( after the lungeing and groundwork were both looking alright ) and the hissy fit did happen I was able to sit it out and keep asking him to go forward until he did.
I don't really feel he was trying to get rid of me ( I've seen how he bucks in the field and he certainly could if he were so inclined ) I think he just wanted to make it uncomfortable for me to be there and hope that I would leave him in peace. Once we established that no, I wasn't going to get off and no, I wasn't going to stop asking him to move forward he worked out that actually it was easier and more energy efficient to do the thing I was asking for and gave me some really nice walk and trot that certainly had a lot of the forwardness we have been working on so that is really paying off.
I rode again today and Zorro was really well behaved- not a thought of bucking and aside from his classic drifting shoulder he was remarkably compliant. Certainly a good starting point for the clinic we're attending this weekend.