Why does barn time travel at warp speed? I swear, 1 hour in the barn feels like 5 minutes, even if I'm cleaning stalls. The time just zooms by, that I feel rushed and usually only get a fraction of what I'd really like to get done - done. Yesterday at the barn, I only had about 2-hours. 2 HOURS!!!??? I had really hoped to ride at least 2 horses, but with 2 hours and the time it takes just to groom and tack up - pshhhh...I barely got 15 minutes on 1 horse. I had to choose who to ride - Gypsy? She still needs a lot of canter time - outdoors is ideal as the indoor arena is slippery for her lumbering awkward canter strides. Sid? Ugh - Sid. He's easy enough, but do I feel like dealing with his bellowing today? No. Bobby? Bobby pulled a shoe. Contro? Contro is always true blue, besides another lady Marcia has been riding him lately ;). Should I start working on some of the unbroke brood mares? Not enough time. With those options, I finally decided on Gypsy who appeared to be in the midst of that time of the month, if ya' know what I'm saying.
Boy was that girl moody. I started off by telling Barn Owner's husband how sweet Gypsy is. I went on and on about how she's never pulled a stunt and how willing she is. I mounted up, and she walked off (no big deal, only she's never done that before). She was hot to trot though, and so I took her around the arena at a good clip. She apparently didn't want to be bothered with setting her head, so she flattened her ears and pulled on the bit a few times, but quit after I scolded her once. Her little temper tantrum didn't work with the head thing, so on the far side of the arena, going at a nice paced trot, she squealed and kicked out. What the? Ha ha, of course I barely felt it, but that was so unlike Gypsy. I guess she was just having one of those PMS kind of days - I sort of felt bad for her, as I know how it feels. Just to show her that behavior like that will not be tolerated, I kept her going at a nice trot with a collected head set until she simmered down and started listening. Murphy's Law lesson of the day: don't tell someone how great your horse is BEFORE you ride in front of them.
After about 15 minutes, it was time for me to go...sigh. Gypsy was glad when I turned her into the center of the ring and dismounted. She turned her head to look at me in disbelief as though she were saying "that's it - you're realllllly getting off - you're done torturing me today?" Yes, Gypsy you snotty hormonal little thing, you're done for the day. Unfortunately, I spent so much time trotting her around and getting her to relax, I didn't get in any cantering. I think that I will just have to do canter work on the lunge line indoors during the winter months. It's just too risky and unsafe doing it on her back in such a small and slippery arena.
Boy was that girl moody. I started off by telling Barn Owner's husband how sweet Gypsy is. I went on and on about how she's never pulled a stunt and how willing she is. I mounted up, and she walked off (no big deal, only she's never done that before). She was hot to trot though, and so I took her around the arena at a good clip. She apparently didn't want to be bothered with setting her head, so she flattened her ears and pulled on the bit a few times, but quit after I scolded her once. Her little temper tantrum didn't work with the head thing, so on the far side of the arena, going at a nice paced trot, she squealed and kicked out. What the? Ha ha, of course I barely felt it, but that was so unlike Gypsy. I guess she was just having one of those PMS kind of days - I sort of felt bad for her, as I know how it feels. Just to show her that behavior like that will not be tolerated, I kept her going at a nice trot with a collected head set until she simmered down and started listening. Murphy's Law lesson of the day: don't tell someone how great your horse is BEFORE you ride in front of them.
After about 15 minutes, it was time for me to go...sigh. Gypsy was glad when I turned her into the center of the ring and dismounted. She turned her head to look at me in disbelief as though she were saying "that's it - you're realllllly getting off - you're done torturing me today?" Yes, Gypsy you snotty hormonal little thing, you're done for the day. Unfortunately, I spent so much time trotting her around and getting her to relax, I didn't get in any cantering. I think that I will just have to do canter work on the lunge line indoors during the winter months. It's just too risky and unsafe doing it on her back in such a small and slippery arena.
1 comment:
Nice that you planned your ride around her hijinks. Nothing about horses can be predicted apparently!!
Post a Comment