Listening and being patient

"YOUNG HORSES…

We can’t get greedy with the glimpses of potential a young horse gives us.

Those little moments are glimmers of the future, but we still very much have a responsibility to the horse in the present, to meet them where they are… mentally, emotionally, physically.

This guy is physically talented, but it’s my job to prioritize his mental and emotional development.

It’s my job to channel his positive traits… so that his energy and sensitivity don’t tip over into overstimulation and anxiety, and so his boldness and confidence get channeled into problem-solving… rather than outwitting the annoying two-legged out of boredom!

At 4, it’s obvious he’s still mentally, physically, and emotionally immature compared to the other Andalusian cross I have in, who, at 5, is still so young, in the grand scheme of things.

We have their whole lives to do the fancy stuff.

There’s so much foundation we can provide them in these early years, that so many older horses are missing.

It’s an investment we won’t regret.

Let them go FORWARD.

Leave their heads alone.

Let them find their balance.

Let them stretch.

Go for a trail ride. "

Wise words from Mills Consilient Horsemanship on my facebook feed today. And timely. And, luckily, kind of already my plan. Go me, because this actually popped up AFTER I had ridden. I had realized that I was getting greedy and assuming that Funny was ready for more connection. And, maybe she is... but when I try for it.. she's getting hollow and bracy. And yes.. there are moments of lovely but she's chomping again and it feels more bad than good lately. And I had sort of convinced myself that it was just the next step and it was still progress because she was a bit slower in her tempo and more balanced. But then after my flat ride the other day and then my lesson with Jacel yesterday... I started to rethink. Perhaps, she's just not ready yet. She's sooooo good at so many things.. she's so responsive to all my aids... just... stop touching her face! Use the other aids. Don't let what my interpretation of what the judges want (A horse in a frame) make me do what's not right for my horse right now. So... I played with it today.

We started our ride and I decided to soften my reins to her. I was soft before (I thought) but... I rode today with the mantra of "body back, hands forward". I wanted to use my body and core to keep her slow and lifting in her back but I didn't want to touch her face. And while I wasn't throwing her away... I was almost throwing her away. I kept giving my hands forward so she would reach for the bit instead of just feeding them out to the ground. But I also had only the very softest of contact. And there were plenty of times where my reins would have been considered "bouncy". And I know... "incosistent contact is more annoying to them than consistent contact" and maybe it is.. but in general, Funny was happier today. She was a bit quick again. But, I used my sitting trot and my body... and slowed my energy... and we got some nice slow trots and canters at times. Overall, she was MUCH softer in her back... MUCH softer in her neck. And while she would occasionally brace, and occasionally go behind the vertical (Or below the vertical more so), there was a whole lot of times she had a lovely head and neck position and her back felt lifted. She felt a bit quicker than usual.. and there were times when she really slowed down that I could feel her sitting more on her hind end, but it didn't really feel like she was on the forehand today. Maybe she was though... But again, I still feel like this is the better bad.

We did some walking, some trotting, and some cantering. And the canter was definitely better! Also quicker.. but still, better. We had some really lovely moments of slower and more sit, but they didn't last very long. And maybe it's just because she's not strong enough yet. And me "insisting" that she be on a shorter rein and "on contact" isn't going to make her stronger quicker. Short stints of her carrying herself correctly will help make her stronger. But it's not doing her any good if she's slower and sitting but braced and stiff in her back! And because she is so responsive to my weight and seat aids... why wouldn't I use them. I had to slow my post... squeeze my thighs... use sitting trot... and today especially.. if I thought about lifting my inside hip, it made a big difference. I think lifting my inside hip helps her bend more correctly. Maybe it unblocks something I'm blocking. I was trying to pay attention to what my body was doing when she felt good and continueing to do that.

So... we had a much better ride and we were both happier. I still had a soft connection it felt like.. just on a slightly longer rein and my hands kept pushing forward. Which... sounds very classical! I suspect that I'm taking it to the extreme, but... baby steps. She's young. She's talented. We've got time to build her properly.

In addition to focusing on that... we also played with the obstacles a little bit. partially to help distract her and make her brain think and slow and partially because... why not?! She was pretty darn good in the livestock pen. She was a little scared of the jug table. I had set Jean's roll top up on it's end and put a plastic flower pot on top. She gave it the hairy eyeball but went up to it and investigated. And tried to knock my flower pot off! I should have named her Confetti's Category 4 and called her Cat or Kitty. Ha ha. She also did the gate and the reverse gate pretty darn good!! Not perfect, but fairly smooth and steady. So honestly, quite decently considering she's only done it a handful of times! We also did the single slalom. So... while I really really really hope Dan bounces back quick enough to go to the show... if I have to, Funny could sub in.

She got a nice rinse and then splashed in the trough while I was trying to fill it up.