Ooof, this girl is going to make me the best damn horsewoman... I hope! I told myself today that I wasn't going to get sucked in. I was going to remind myself that she really is trying... her try is just different than Lyrics try. And remind myself how far we have come! And I did.... but I also got sucked in a little.
We had lessons today. I was able to get on early enough that we could do a nice 30 minute hack or so before hand. We headed to the woods and shade and went for a nice walk on the buckle. No chomping (mostly!). We were enjoying life and having a peaceful time... and as we walked past the little outlier of lake... I guess a turtle plopped in or a fish jumped... behind us. Funny squirted forward! Ha ha... Okay, fair.. it scared me too! I happened to be videoing too. Doh! She settled quickly though and we carried on. But then I went to pick up the trot on the backside of the lake and she kept yeeting sideways at every little noise or movement. It's squirrels Funny... squirrels! Granted, the big fox squirrels, but still. Good gravy! She really is like riding a keg of dynamite.
We managed to make it to the XC field and then I asked her to trot down the medium bank. She stopped but then went, so we did it a second time. And then we went down the bank into the water and had to reapproach it. But we did it. Good girl. Then I let her have a nice canter up the hill.
Then it was time for our lesson. We met Laura but she ended up having Jacel ride Smarty since she wasn't feeling good. We warmed up and then started with some trot fences. Funny was feral again but we managed to trot TO the jump... I'm not sure she ever trotted any actual jumps but we did manage to trot towards the jumps at least! Except she quickly sucked me into holding/hanging on the reins because she was getting so quick and explosive feeling. And when I held, she was MAD! So then we spiraled a little. Jacel managed to get me to ride her more with my thighs and seat and keep my elbows moving. And that helped for sure. She almost self regulates herself when I let her be, but when I hold, she just fights me, even if she ends up practically chesting the fences. Argh. And of course that made me more frustrated. So Jacel had to tell me to stop and breathe and remember to fight smarter. She did say that if I fought with Funny... Funny would win. Because "she's meaner". Sigh. So we took a breath and I tried to be less emotional and more professional and just... not hold. It's extra hard because she'll sit there on the buckle until it's her turn. Then she immediately goes into *metallic cat crazy barrel horse in the alley* mode and just... starts cantering and rearing in place. I did whack her upside the head once today because... she was just being silly. But then I tried to be better about preventing it. I tried to not immediately pick up the reins and instead inch my way up them. That only kind of worked because once I started inching and sent her forward, she was running so I had to inch quickly! Of course I should probably do more of a slow walk to inch up the reins and just take the time it takes vs waiting til it's my turn and then "Go!". I also tried asking her to trot or canter without even really taking up the reins, but then I still had to gather them quickly because she was ready to go!! But... from now on I probably need to be more cognizant and prepared and slowly inch up on them while I'm waiting my turn.
We ended up putting some more fences together and it was getting better... and then we came down the two stride towards Jacel's kid and the puppies and had to do a tight turn to the gate. Well, as we came down the double and landed, Josigh stood up and slung his water bottle up to drink from and Funny squirted hard left. I swear, that girl is like a freakin' cat! But I stuck it and we carried on. We jumped the gate and then finished the course but she was all jazzed up and I got triggered and held and she ended up practically running through a few of the fences. Sigh... That was probably when Jacel was like "one..... two...... three... take a breath". Sigh. Okay. You're right. I know... I need to stop making excuses. Yes it's hard... but she's also phenomenal.
So we fixed it after that. It wasn't perfect.. and we had a moment or two of unraveling but overall, we fixed it. I stopped holding... I kept my elbows moving... and she got more ridable. And started riding off my seat. If I think of lifting the saddle up to collect her... and sitting up tall... "riding her hocks"... it helps a lot! And I can still half-halt... especially if I alternate half-halts, but... holding her is the kiss of death! Jacel said that if she got too rowdy... ride smarter... do a small circle... or ask for a trot transition, even if I don't actually get it because it should at least half-halt her. So... we finished with the course again and it was much smoother... and I included a small circle in it and she was very respectful. So... yay!
So then we headed out to the XC field just to jump the novice table. Even though we've jumped it before, but I wanted to make sure. So we hacked out there and then I jumped the lincoln log V stack thing, then came around to the big table.. then went to a cabin and then over the ditch and wall. I can't remember if she's even jumped that, but she didn't care. She jumped it beautifully! Which, she jumped the real ditch and wall last weekend without having any issues, but... still! Yay!
So then we headed back home and she got a big rinse and cookies. Hopefully on Thursday we can dressage and I can remember to LET GO and not get in her face and not pick a fight. I need to remember to use my seat and thighs and maneuvers (leg yields, counter bend, tight circles) to get her to breathe and chill.
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