I'm a Lopin' Lady!

***To read how Max and I came to use RFD TV's horse trainer Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship methods, click back to the first few posts...


I'M A LOPIN' LADY!

               I’m a lopin’ lady!!  We had a terrific ride!  We walked, trotted and cantered all over the arena!  I tried out the cruising exercise a little.  I didn’t really get the exercise going for as long as I should have, but we got a good taste of it. 

He’s getting into the canter right off, and a few times he was on the correct lead.  Now, I know in cruising, Clinton Anderson says you don’t even worry about things like correct leads, and I wasn’t worried about it.  I just happened to notice that a few times he was correct.

I’m really excited about this whole cantering thing.  His canter was noticeably slower and smoother, and I had all kinds of control.

WOO-HOO!  It’s definitely a breakthrough for me. 

I'm a LOPIN' LADY!!

Two Days Later:

Good groundwork –all review and practice -  

Good ride –

We “cruised” at the canter some.  Max’s canter was still nice and relaxed until he decided “riding time” was over.  He was ready to quit and sped up going toward the gate.  I closed it down with a one-rein stop.  

We rode outside the arena, and he was all about quitting and getting back to the barn.

I didn’t let him, and it was a little scary at times.  He was tossing his head and fighting me about which direction to go. 

I made us go back into the arena, ride slowly for just a minute or two, and then I dismounted deep in the middle of the arena, away from the gate.

I’m going to have to increase our riding time slowly each day.  Also, we need to ride outside the arena more.  Clinton Anderson says you really shouldn’t do that until you have control.  I think I have control, but then today, for example, I was having a hard time having him stand still outside the arena when he was ready to quit and go to the barn.   

 I kept pulling him around to a one-rein stop when he took a step that I didn’t ask for.  He didn’t seem to mind and kept taking that step.  I was definitely uneasy. 

Why do I still count it as a good ride?  It was good because I learned from it.  I learned that I clearly do not have the control I need…yet…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn

Great Day...

            Hi – If you’re a first-time reader, I’m a “beginner all over again” in the horse world.  And I like to watch the horse training shows on RFD TV.  I have a “lost confidence” issue that I’m addressing while using Clinton Anderson’s Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground and Riding With Confidence series.  The first few posts tell how I lost my confidence due to a fall, and came to use Clinton Anderson’s methods.  Feel free to comment.

Great Day…

We had a great session today, on the ground and in the saddle.  We didn’t work a long time at either one, but our time spent was excellent!

On the ground we did backing, yielding forequarters and lungeing at the trot and canter.

He’s still heavy on his front end, when yielding forequarters, but he’s trying.  I think I’m getting a little sloppy with my instruction on yielding forequarters.  We only did each direction a couple of times.  Maybe I’m getting sloppy because we practice it so much. 

I know something needs to change.  Maybe I should back off of yielding forequarters for a few days, then go back to it.  I need to insist on quality yields and maybe I just need a break from it myself.  Then, take it up again with sharp cues and insistence on quality.  I know it will take several days at that intensity level to get yielding forequarters to a B or A grade level.

His backing seemed slow and heavy today, too.

So, how could my session today have been so great with these flaws?

When I got into the saddle, I could tell both of us had made progress.  When I cued Max to canter, he did, and it was definitely slower and smoother.

And…since it was slower and smoother, I was able to stay with it and have control at the same time.  I see “cruising at the canter” from the Riding With Confidence series in our very near future.

I really believe the work we have been doing on the ground at the canter is directly responsible for the progress in the saddle.  His canter seemed more relaxed.  Therefore, I was relaxed. 

My confidence level skyrocketed.  And I just loved it.  I have missed that feeling.

Only one time did he resume that fast-paced, kind of frantic-like, canter.  I shut him down with a one-rein stop. The rest of our canters today were much easier feeling. 

Yep.  It was great…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn

Short Sessions...

***To read more about mine and Max's progress using RFD TV's Clinton Anderson and his Downunder Horsemanship methods, click back to the first few posts...

SHORT SESSIONS...

I had a short morning with Max, but we were able to do a few rounds of yielding forequarters, backing, changing eyes and lungeing. 

Then, we had a good ride – short – but good.  No flies or bees today.  Very windy, but that felt good. 

I’ve been sloooowly working up to doing more cantering.  His canter seems to be slowing down a little from that big whallopin’ cowboy lope, so I’m getting more confident each time we ride. 

I’m not good at cueing him to get to the canter, though.  I understand what to do, it’s just not always working for me. 

Also, Clinton Anderson cues to the canter by continuing the squeeze, cluck, spank (if necessary) and release when the desired gait is attained method. 

The two instructors I’ve taken lessons from use the squeeze with the outside leg and make a big kiss sound method to get to the canter. 

I’ve tried both with Max lately (not in the same session, but still probably confusing the heck out of him). 

I’d really like to use the Clinton Anderson method, simply because it does make more sense to me, but I have to say that he has been responding more immediately to the big kiss method.  So, I really need to work on my cues. 

Also, Max had an attitude problem today on the ground when changing directions while lungeing.  He wheeled around and galloped off. 

I didn’t provide any resistance, not even a little tug on the line in an attempt to stop him.  I just immediately dropped the rope and let him go.  I didn’t want him to think he could have a tug-o-war with me anytime and pull loose.  I wanted him to think that I just decided to let him go. 

He ran off, turned and looked at me with ears pinned back.  Then he looked at me like, “Uh…What do I do now?” and crept back over to me.  I neither scolded nor soothed.  We continued with no more attitude…

Next Day:

Great ride!  We cantered several times.  I’m almost ready to do cruising at the canter. 

I think we’ve regressed on yielding forequarters…

A Few Days Later:

I got in from out of town this afternoon.  I just worked with Max for a few minutes this evening.  Mainly for exercise…for both of us.  We backed, yielded forequarters, lunged at the trot and a little at the canter.  He seemed to remember most of his lessons.  His canter is definitely slower and smoother.  I’m hoping that will transfer to the saddle. 

But we’re getting sloppy on yielding forequarters.  I need to watch that segment again on the Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground dvd and see what the “ideal” yielding forequarters looks like. 

Clinton Anderson always shows you the way the skill should look with a well-trained horse first.  I need to re-see the “ideal” yielding forequarters.

We haven’t been able to have some good long workouts this week, but we’re hangin’ in there with our short sessions…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn

Still Practicing...

               If you’re a first-time reader, I’m a life-long horse-lover, first-time horse owner who loves to watch the horse-training shows on RFD TV.  In order to train me in establishing control on the ground and re-gaining confidence in the saddle, I’m using Clinton Anderson’s dvd series.  So far, the directions have been clear and direct. 

 I’m very excited about the progress my horse, Max, and I have made since beginning the training series.  Look back to the first few posts to see how I came to use Clinton Anderson’s approach…

Today was a beautiful day.  For once in quite a while (all summer) it wasn’t scorchingly hot.  It was more like a spring day, oddly enough, seeing as how it is September.  So, I decided that Max and I would review most of our groundwork exercises.   

We hadn’t done much when a big, fat bumblebee appeared and wouldn’t leave Max alone.  Max and I took turns swatting at it, but it was way too persistent for us.  I got the can of bug spray from the barn and directed a stream right at it.  It worked.  I either got it, or it didn’t stick around.  We both relaxed and went back to work.

In a few minutes, when time came to bridle Max, a gigantic fly buzzed around and really tormented Max.  Even though Max had a light coat of fly spray on, this fly would not give up.  Max tossed his head and moved around.  I backed him up.  He did it again.  I backed him up again. 

This time he stood still, put his head down and even opened his mouth for the bridle.  The fly kept coming at him.  I have to hand it to Max for not going totally nuts with this super huge insect constantly harassing him.  This fly looked big enough to bite a hunk out of Max’s hide. 

I silently hoped it didn’t happen while I was on his back… 

Anyway, I shook off that thought, mounted and off we rode.  We were okay for only a few moments.  Our respite from the fly was short lived.  Max soon suffered constant attack by the big bug.  Max held it together fairly well, but both of us were having a hard time concentrating.   We were verrrrrry distracted.  No progress was being made.  

That was it.  Done.

Next Day:

Another pretty day – I gotta admit I was on the lookout for flying insects.  I wasn’t going to be run off by bugs today.

Luckily, the bugs were a no-show.

I didn’t introduce any new skills on the ground today.   We worked on getting good (at least a grade B) at the skills we’d already learned.  The yielding forequarters to the left is really slow-coming. 

I’m back to thinking maybe something hurts in his shoulder or leg or somewhere so that he can’t or doesn’t want to pivot on that back foot and really cross that front foot over time after time until he’s through the 360 turn.  But he has no visible signs of physical trouble, standing still or while moving. 

I think he’s just real heavy on his front end.  So, if it’s just that it’s going to take a long time and a lot of practice on this side, that’s okay with me.  I’m not in a hurry.  I’m looking for quality in executing the exercises.

His lungeing was pretty good.  His canter still seems pretty rough to the right, but I think it’s improving.

We practiced the Changing Eyes exercise again.  It’s on Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground – Series 2.   Clinton Anderson says to do this exercise slowly.  We’re really doing it slowly.  We may be going too slow.  I need to watch that segment of the dvd again to see if we need to speed it up.

We struggled again with him standing still to be bridled.  I think he remembered yesterday and wanted to see if I was still serious about him standing still and dropping  his head.  I was.  I backed him up once.  His feet stopped moving, he dropped his head and opened his mouth.

Our ride was good.  We didn’t make a lot of progress, but we practiced trotting, cantering, yielding hindquarters at the standstill and backing.

I haven’t been nearly diligent enough in doing the touch and rub exercise.  By now, we should have made more progress in the saddle yielding hindquarters at the standstill.  I need to do touch and rub daily for a while right before riding, and then yield hindquarters when we first begin the ride.  I think that will help keep yielding to the steady pressure fresh on his mind.     

Still practicing…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn

Practice, Practice, Practice...

***To read more about how Max and I came to use RFD TV's Clinton Anderson and his Downunder Horsemanship methods to train ME in handling my horse, click back to the first few posts and see how we've progressed...


PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE...

         If you’re also using Clinton Anderson’s dvds with your horse, let me know how it’s coming along in the comments section…

        I got out late this morning, and it was already getting HOT.  I wanted to get some riding in so we did a minimum of groundwork.

        In the barn I’ve begun using changing directions when tacking up Max.  We backed, we yielded forequarters.  Both were fine.  Yielding to the left is still coming along. 

        We lunged a few circles right, then left, at the canter.  Cantering to the right still needs improvement, but he does look more comfortable.  He seems to get into the canter more easily than he did before.

        Then, we did Run Up and Rub.  He’s fine with this one.

        The ride was really good.  We trotted all over and we cantered.  I felt like I was really sitting into his canter today.  And a couple of times I know he had a little bit slower canter, and it felt great.

Gone Next Five Days:

First Day Home:

        I worked with Max in the evening.  I only did a quick review of backing, yielding forequarters, lungeing and a little Sending.  He remembered.  Mainly, he needed some exercise.

Next Day:

       We worked on the ground for quite some time.  We reviewed all Clinton Anderson’s Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground Series 1. 

      

       Then, we had a really good ride.  We cantered several times.  I’m feeling more and more confident. 

       

       I still don’t feel like I’m controlling direction, but that’s what cruising is, right?  We didn’t actually cruise at the canter, but we cantered enough times that I think I’m just about ready for it.

Next Day:

        Today I spent time watching the whole Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground Series 2 dvds.  I like to watch the entire series to get the big picture to see what I should be able to do at the end of the series, then go back and watch the individual exercises as many times as I need to to be able to be clear on what I do and what Max is expected to do.

Next Day:

        Today was groundwork intense.  We worked on Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground Series 2 exercises.  We did Run Up and Rub with no problem.  We continued working on yielding forequarters.  We’ll keep working on that daily.  We did Changing Sides.  Max did excellently.  Slap and Tap – also excellent.  Not a flinch when I did the Helicopter exercise. 

       

        He caught on to Touch and Rub on his nose pretty quickly.  He backed up without much protest when pressure was put on his nose, but we’ll add this exercise to our daily routine. 

       

        Max also did very well on Touch and Rub on his poll.  I saw this exercise quite some time ago either on Clinton Anderson’s Downunder Horsemanship show on RFD TV or on the Problem Solving dvd series.  I don’t remember which.  I’ve watched both of them so often.  I began working on this when I first had trouble bridling Max last fall when I first got him. 

       

        Max actually did the Changing Eyes – Stage One exercise without a lot of struggle.  We need practice.  But wow, he’s getting good!  I think I need more practice on this one than he does.  I’m having a little trouble changing my hands and keeping my body facing the right direction.  He did it, though, even with my less-than-clear clues.

       

        Our ride was okay.  We didn’t canter as much today.  We worked on yielding hindquarters at the standstill, and I still like practicing that Craig Cameron exercise I mentioned in a previous post, entitled “Way Off the Subject.”

        

        We are improving, and we’ve almost completed disc one of Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground Series 2 in this short amount of time.

        We’ll just keep on with practice, practice, practice…

        Have a good ride

        Greenhorn

Small Improvements...

***Go to http://www.tvhorsetalk.blogspot.com/ to read more about how Max and I came to use Clinton Anderson's Downunder Horsemanship methods...



So, for the last couple of weeks we’ve lunged at the canter (We do a lot of resting!) and I swear I’m seeing small improvements each day.  In this short time he seems to be more “athletic” about it.  Smoother, maybe…a little slower… And I saw him correct his lead real quickly today.  Max needed to get his feet moving.  His feet had not moved quickly in a long time.   

We worked a bit on yielding forequarters, backing, lungeing and we did some Sending.  Max did pretty well.  We’ll try Sending again tomorrow. 

It was very windy today and while riding Max spooked big once on the side by the woods, and he spooked a little at the end of the arena near the woods.  As I’ve mentioned ad nauseam, I think this is why I’m stuck at the trot.  I get afraid cruising and get tense and nervous, too afraid to let him trot anywhere he wants (and that’s exactly what “cruising” is…) because he gets spooky when he gets near the woods and I’m afraid he’s going to spook and I’m going to fly off. 

Now don’t get me wrong.  He doesn’t spook like crazy, bolting and running away.  He just kind of jumps.  A couple of times he’s spun around as if to bolt. 

Hopefully, the things I’m doing are what’s stopping him.  Also, hopefully, a little bit of it is him stopping on his own when he sees there’s no threat. 

A trainer told me he “spooks” in a “good” way, really, because he just kind of jumps or starts, then stops.  (It’s a good thing for me!) 

All I know is that it makes me a wreck.

I’ll keep resting him in the “scary” places on the ground and in the saddle, but I’m having a hard time getting over this hump.

Next Training Day:

I’ve been gone for a week.

So, I went out early today.  I had my list of exercises from Clinton Anderson's Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground - I and Riding with Confidence - I in my back pocket for reference, if needed.  We worked on yielding forequarters and backing.

Yielding forequarters is coming along slowly, but steadily.  I did not allow any kind of step but a step across.  When Max tried to step forward or his foot wasn’t all the way across the other front foot I grabbed the clip under his chin and had him back that step so we could do that step again across .  Also, I think that I stop too soon working on this skill. 

Today when I wanted to quit, I took it as a sign to work a while longer. 

Backing up went well.  It was kind of like he just needed a refresher in all four methods.  He does wiggle, wave, walk and whack best and with energy.  I think he does “marching” next best.  “Tap the air” he seems confused about whether to go back or sideways.  “Yielding hindquarters then backing” improved a bit today.  My signals were clearer.  I did not work on any of these for very long, and as I sit here and think back, I probably should have practiced each a few more times.

But did I mention that it’s HOT out here???

I’m learning that any problem not corrected immediately only ensures that that problem will persist.

You know, with regard to our very slow progress with yielding forequarters, the thought has crossed my mind that maybe Max is just not one of those really “athletic” horses that the clinicians talk about.  Will he ever be able to pivot on his hind foot while he crosses his front foot over until he goes a full circle? 

He seems athletic enough to me.  But then, I am a greenhorn.

I do think Max and I can yield forequarters better than what we’re doing now.  I’m committed to working on this each day.  I think I need to approach this with more energy, too.  No more Mrs. Nice and Slow Guy!

Have a good ride
Greenhorn

A Bright Idea...?

               I watched the Lungeing for Respect-Stage I segment of the Clinton Anderson's Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground - 1 dvd again to brush up on the teaching part so as to help Max “get it” better.  He knows what I want now.  I’m sending clear messages with my body language and he’s not confused.  So, when I point, cluck and twirl my stick and he stands there looking at me like, “What?” I need to run straight toward him after that third twirl of the stick pointing, clucking and twirling until he moves.    

I rewrote my list of exercises to work on a couple of weeks ago and we’ve been making slow, but steady progress.

Yielding forequarters is coming along.  And I’m getting better at using the equipment, changing hands and timing on the touch and rub exercise.  He’s getting it, so I guess I’m doing okay.

We haven't really started working on Sending, but I just kind of got near the fence to see if he would go through when I pointed.  Max hasn't seemed to be afraid to go through any space I want him to go through, but he walked extreeeeemely slowly through the gap.  I do feel like my cues need to be clearer.  So I needed a refresher. 

Here again, he thinks he’s supposed to yield forequarters while walking through. 

              He’s doing that because as he’s coming through I tapped him on the shoulder in an effort to get him up to a trot, and he thought I meant to yield his forequarters.  I’ve got to point up high, bump, bump him in the correct direction while I’m creating energy with the stick near his neck and shoulder.  This worked a few times to get him to speed up.  He’s doing the Sending exercise, he’s just doing it at a snail’s pace!  (I don’t think we’d rate a B on this!)

Next Day:

I may have had a mental breakthrough today.  A bright idea…? 

Clinton Anderson says to do your groundwork first and things will go much more smoothly in the saddle.  As you know, I am really stuck riding at the trot.  I’m getting better at riding the trot but the canter still eludes me.  I just haven’t been able to grab my seat back at the canter and it makes me way too uncomfortable (afraid) to keep cantering as long as I need to in order for improvement to happen.

Max’s canter is not some fancy-schmancy Western Pleasure horse canter.  He’s got a yahoo-wallopin’-giddyup canter!  He seems a little clumsy, too, probably because he doesn’t get a chance to canter.  Therefore, he also doesn’t get a chance to make improvements in his gait and to slow it down. 

CA says, “Everybody wants their horse to have a nice slow canter but they never canter their horse.  In order to get a nice, slow canter you have to canter.”

Makes sense.
But since I’m too wary about cantering around, (TA-DAH!  Here comes the bright idea part!)  I decided to put the two ideas together and first canter him on the ground.  He needs it anyway.

I started to do this about a week ago to get some energy in his Lungeing for Respect-Stage I and it worked.  He’s lungeing with energy. 

Then, it came to me as I saw him start off a little clumsily, do some tripping, taking the wrong lead, going so fast, that I thought, “Hey, he needs to practice this, too!” 

If I could ask CA a question it would be, “Does this makes sense?  Will it work?”

Next Day:

Is it my imagination or when we did our little “canter on the ground” practice today was it a little slower right from the beginning?  I won’t say for sure. 

Today I felt like I was riding Max, not like he was taking me for a ride.

Next Day:

I just went out today with the intention of just working on the “canter on the ground” exercise.  It is so hot, I can’t stay out too long… 

Max is getting better, smoother.  He’s paying more attention.  He’s doesn’t really arc his body while lungeing.  I do bump his nose in when he looks out.  I figure by this time he needs to being paying attention to me.  And he is getting better at it.  But not enough to get an arc at the canter. 

Next Day:

We’re making good progress on the ground.  I think we’re doing the Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground – Series I exercises fairly well except for Sending.

 We’ve only worked on it a couple of times.  And I mean, a couple of times.  I need to get serious about it and work on Sending each day.  It’s on the list, but we just don’t seem to get to it.  The small amount of time we worked on it, Max did walk through the gap between the fence and me.  I’m hoping that by working on the take-off and energy in lungeing that we can transfer it to smooth sending. 

Also, I’ve worked on flexing and haven’t really talked about it here because Max did it well right away.  However, that said, I have probably not worked on it consistently enough. 

Note to self – Review flexing.  Work on Sending.

Riding is not going quite as quickly.  But I ride everyday and I’m getting better balance and feel more in control. 

And...I am still stuck at cruising at the trot on Riding With Confidence-I!

Have a nice ride -

Greenhorn

Stuck in the Saddle

              
               I really need forward movement with my riding.  I’m stuck on cruising at the trot.  I work on cantering.  But it’s really just me trying to stay balanced and not be afraid to keep going at the canter. 

Now I know Clinton Anderson says, “If you want to learn how to stay on at the canter, you have to canter.”  I repeat.  I know that.  I want to canter more.  And I would canter more if I didn’t feel like Max was going to spook every time we got down to the end of the arena and on the north side of the arena.  (That’s using the term “arena” loosely.)

I feel sure he would also say I need to tackle the spook problem I have “straight away.”  I am tackling it, but from the ground right now.  (I have really gained tons of confidence with control on the ground since following CA’s exercises.)  And I realize that I won’t be able to solve all spook problems from the ground.  I won’t even be able to solve all spook problems period.  But I’ll get more confident in handling them when they happen. 

Here are some things I’m doing right now to de-sensitize him to the woodsy area. Clinton Anderson says, “Rest ‘em in a place they don’t like.”  So when Max and I are doing groundwork and it’s time to rest, we rest in the places where he’s most likely to spook. 

And I think we’ve made progress.  But slooooow progress.  When I first started doing this he had a hard time relaxing in those places.  Sometimes it would take a few minutes.  Now, most of the time, he relaxes within several seconds.  I also rest Max up and down those “scary” sides of the arena and in those “scary” corners while I’m riding. 

  And in Max’s defense, he’s not just spooking for no reason.  Thar’s wahld animals in them thar woods!  He does hear things and see things that I just don’t see.

I just want to be able to ride the whole arena without being ready for a bolt 50% of the time I’m riding.  Now I know a horse can spook or bolt at anything, anytime.  And I know that you’re thinking that maybe if I rode him in those spooky areas everyday to de-sensitize him and deal with the problem right now in a direct manner that it would get solved. 

I agree.  That would be ideal. 

But I’m a greenhorn, remember?  I don’t ride that well.  I’m just learning all this stuff.  And I would like to spend the biggest amount of riding time right now learning to stay on while the horse is walking, trotting and cantering around in a non-threatening environment.  I need to keep building confidence. 

How I have the pen situated now seems to bring on some “horse anxiety” in those places close to the woods.  And my body language adds to that.  I get so worried that he’s going to spook that I can’t relax.

Bottom Line:  I want to ride around a little more relaxed for a while.  I need us both to concentrate elsewhere.  I want to work on other control issues right now.  I feel like I need to control the gas pedal and the steering wheel better.  Can’t I come back to that when I can stay on a little better?

That said, I was actually more confident today with the riding part.  I rode him on those two scary sides at a trot.  Rested him on those sides.  Walked up and down those sides.  Then, I took him out in the pasture and trotted him and backed him.  I think I’m okay (confidence-wise) at a walk and trot. 

Max has a fast canter, and that’s where I’m stumped.  And I know, to get a slow canter, you have to canter.  I know.

Sooooo………I think I’m going to move the arena fence.  I don’t know if that sounds like giving up or giving in or what, but that’s what I’m going to do.  If I move the fence (It’s just several 10’ Priefert panels.) then we’ll be at least 50’ feet away from the woods on the north side.  On the east end I’ll have to deal with the woods.  But that’s only 25% of the arena that’ll worry me instead of 50%.  I know I should deal with the spooking issue, but I do deal with it when he does spook. 

I do a one rein stop when he turns to run away from the woods, then I keep him turning or backing or walking around the area.

Now, if he still acts spooky when we’re that far away from the woods, and I can’t get him to get over it, then I’ve got a way bigger problem than I thought. 

With me…

Have a nice ride,

Greenhorn

Confidence Found - Confidence Lost

Wow!  Getting my balance back is taking longer than I thought it would.  I’ve always had pretty good balance and thought of myself as “reasonably” physically fit.  Pretty soon I began cantering Max for short distances at home and was excited to show my instructor what I could do.  I couldn't canter for long without feeling too off balance, but hey, it was a start. 

It was November, 2010, and a little chilly at my next lesson.  I had on a gray sweat jacket with pockets in the front.  Usually I put my keys in the barn when I get my helmet.  That day I had just shoved them into the front pocket of my sweat jacket. 

            I rode a different horse than I usually rode during my lessons, and my instructor was telling me the cues to bring him up to a canter as I trotted around the arena.  I cued the horse with my outside leg.  He kicked out and bolted!  It took me (and everyone else) by surprise, and I lost my grip on the reins.  (My instructor had taught me about the one-rein stop at my first lesson and I practiced it often, at lessons and at home.)  But I had lost my hold on the reins and I was leaning way far back on the horse.  I had been caught totally off-guard.  Lesson learned.  Don’t get caught totally off guard...or even a little bit off guard.

He stopped for just a split second at the end of the arena and I tried to get a hold up close on one rein so I could pull him to a stop.  Since the reins had slipped out of my hands right from the first jolt, I couldn’t get far enough down on the rein to bring his head around. 

He took off again.  I almost had him at the next turn.  But he took off. 

I was leaning way back, having been thrown off balance from the beginning.  There was a square, low platform in the middle of the arena and we were heading right for it.  I could see us either jumping it or us having a big wreck right in the middle of it if he stepped on it. 

Did I mention he does hunter/jumper shows?  He jumped.  I sailed off.  While airborne, I was actually thinking how I could land in order to be hurt the least and spend the least time in the hospital.  (I was wearing a helmet, by the way.)  I landed on my left glute.  Kind of on that left side of my back, too.  The breath was knocked out of me.  And I hurt.  I laid there for a minute to get my breath and make sure nothing was broken.  Then, I made my way up off the ground, with much assistance, and got back on the horse and my instructor led him around a little. 

I limped to my car and drove home.  By the time I got home my body was stiff and my husband had to literally pull me out of the car.  I could barely move and I was in PAIN!  Whirlpool baths in Epsom salts and left-over pain medication from a previous, now forgotten pain-filled experience were my body-savers for the next five days.  I couldn’t even get out of bed the next day…  Or the next…

You know, it was just one of those things-nobody’s fault. 

Upon recovery, oddly enough, I was still okay about riding Max.  I wasn’t afraid, just a lot more cautious.  I just didn’t want to get on that other horse again! 

Okay, here’s what I think ACTUALLY happened to cause the incident.  I remember hearing my keys jingle as I trotted around the arena anticipating the canter.  Just when I cued the horse with my leg, I think my keys bounced out of my pocket and somehow, in the way that things can just all come together in a weird way in the universe, the keys lodged between the horse’s ribcage and my now squeezing leg.  The keys jabbed him in the ribs and he, super surprised by the stab, bolted. 

I told everybody they’d find my keys at the point where I had cued the horse.  Yep - there they were.  I made sure I put my keys in the barn after that! 

I finished out my lessons early in December… 


Have a good ride,
Greenhorn