Beautiful February weather here in Indiana. Sweater free! Of course they are predicting a snow storm by late week, but such is life as we know it. As long as I can skip TORNADO season, I'm good.
So I'm late, very late starting my horse. All these months off has made for a challenging ride on Journey. Today she tried to buck me off three times. Ran through the controls (would not rate if pointed North). Our trip home was made in small circles ALL THE WAY HOME. Circle right, circle left, roll back, circle left, circle right, roll back. It takes a long time to get home doing that, and she was still just wound up tight, she was one pissed off, sticky wet, horse.
Looks like we are going to need a week working in the round pen (if the snow misses us). When I got home I didn't untack. Ran her reins through my water bottle holders and locked them against the pommel. She'd been evading the bit and blowing me off most of our ride, and it just seemed like maybe I needed to take a deep breath, and get her moving her feet, and joining up a little (or a LOT). If her head was in a decent position the reins would relax and she could round up and move nicely in the circle. If she went to playing giraffe, the reins were unyielding, but the choice was hers. We worked it until she quit her personal rendition of a rodeo, gave to the reins, and she was moving collected instead of all strung out. She did decide that standing with me, beat the heck out of controlled laps.
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