So its Monday now..... and as everyone knows.... Mondays are my Barn-days...... and well... this monday wasnt looking as though there was going to be any barn happening (due to my coach cancelling my lesson for this evening).... That was until about 11:00 this morning when my friend from work called asking if I wanted to go see her horse today!!!! WOOHOO!!! Now her and I are total dorks, and have the ability to talk about horses for an entire 8 hour shift of work 5 days a week....... Yes... I am just as productive there as I am online.... lol anyways.....
So I pick her up and we head out to her barn..... Which was quite lovely by the way....... and go out to the paddock to get her horse.....and wasn't she just a sweetie!!! Shes a 14 hand, 5 year old white appolossa..... shes freakin adorable..... BUT...... shes green as all hell!..... She spooks at EVERYTHING!!! (including a butterfly and a trampoline!)
So....... I wasn't planning on riding her today, but couldnt resist once I got out there....
So the last time shes had anyone on her was back in July/August when she threw my friend off of her........( yeah..... I wasnt kidding when I said she was green!!!) So Daredevil Flick Decides to take a chance and get on her..... My friend took her out and lunged her for about 15 min just to get her moving again.... and then we tacked her up.... and I went on a helmet searching spree to find one that fit cuz mine is out at my barn..... (now....its a private barn, so basically I had to steal one from someone!! I choose the $400 GPA helmet that was ever so neatly hanging on one of the hooks.....yeah I have expensive riding taste!) I then preceeded to walk her back to the ring, and get on her..... well... that's when my friend said... "she doesnt do mounting blocks very well".....lol... oh lovely.... but actually, she was fine, I got on her, she backed up a little, threw her head in the air, got a little angry, but then we started walking.....
Yeeahhhhhhh... so walking is good..... she's a mare, so every little thing we did was a test... she would cut corners.... she would stop and stand there, until I kicked the shit out of her, or yelled at her..... she would throw her head up and down like a maniac!!!! so after about 10min of just fighting her at the walk I decided to give her a little squeeze and bring her up to a trot..... Talk about a total body workout!!! so shes a little crazy with the steering.... and shes also a little crazy with the speed and the spooking and jumping...... and then shes a little crazy in general and decided to try to buck me off a few times..... Being the decent rider that I am.... I totally felt it coming and was able to ride through it and then yell at her..... show her I was BOSS... and she WASN'T!!! So now after about 25min of fighting with her I decide to do some basic groundwork with her.... I worked on bending with her, and a little bit of framing, bringing her from a collected trot to a working trot.... she would throw a fit every once in a while, but she was definitly beginning to have a good time working........ FINALLY!!!!! This is where I finally felt like both her and I got something out of the hard work we had been doing.....
At this point I decide that I would try to canter her.... Now keep in mind that this is what my friend did when she was bucked off of her..... I am pretty used to horses being stupid during transitions, so I wasnt too worried about her, but my poor friend was just a little worried about me...... So this horse (who's name is Frankie) has NEVER before actually cantered from a walk... she has always been asked from a trot..... I decided I would make her go straight from a walk!!! Hell why not??? lol..... So I made a liar out of Frankie.... the first few tries she just sped up to a trot... and we would go right back down to a walk and I would ask her again.... then what do ya know?? She cantered!!!!! I was sooooo happy with her at this point, and my friend was just amazed that I was able to get her to do it!!! so after we cantered around for a few laps, in both directions, I decided to call it a day....... and Oh what a day it was!!!!
So now I have a horse to ride for free whenever I want to, cuz Frankie needs a lot of work..... and I got my horsie fix for the day!!! Horray!!! and despite me having bruises on my inner calves from not wearing half chaps and my hands being dyed black from the gloves I wore, I still had a wonderful time!! and yes I know.... I am a total dork!! Can't wait to head out there again!! :-)
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