Friday May 17
Off to the show! We got there around 5... later than planned, but it worked out fine. I hand walked Riv all over--the indoor, the outdoor dressage ring, the jumping warm up.
I'm kind of freaking out. We're doing the Intro combined test. Intro dressage is always inside. Always.
Except this time. This time, Intro senior is outside. In the great big scary dressage arena without a fence. With a gazebo at one end and a pond full of noisy frogs and stuff at the other end.
I tacked up and got on in the indoor. He was distracted but well behaved. Then we went to the outdoor. Again, very distracted. We walked all around and then picked up the trot. No. Not good. He either tossed his head and tried to rush, or he popped his shoulder and skittered sideways. So I'm mad and frustrated and really really not happy. I got off and put him away. An hour or two later, I got back on. Pretty much the same.. Ugh. I'm just so upset about everything. A girl I know offers to get on him for me. I waffled for a second, then said I'd try anything and handed him over. She spent about 15 minutes trotting him all over. I got back on in the mostly-dark and he was fine. Thank goodness. I guess he just needed to trot around and get over it.
Called it a night, put him away, fed him, and went home.
[Note to my stalker: I did not pay this person to ride him, nor have I ever paid anyone.]
You have a stalker?! Fancy!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think it's pretty damn impressive that you were willing to let someone else ride your horse for the sake of the horse.
See, that's what I thought! Seems to me, an owner who's willing to put their ego aside in order to help work through a problem is GOOD. According to stalker, it's bad and a sign that I can't handle him (or something along those lines). Which might be a valid point, if it had happened more than twice in the 18 months that I've owned him.
DeleteOh well, you can't please everyone. I'm happy and my horse is happy. That's all that matters.
Oooo, exciting for a stalker! Did you try lunging? That helps me get them to settle down while my nerves simmer down as well.
ReplyDeleteLongeing isn't his strong suit.. he can get goofy and he'll try to turn around or go backward. He's gotten a lot better, but I think if I tried at a show while he's already worked up he would just lose it. After getting through the show, I'll be better able to deal with this sort of thing in the future. I didn't know what to expect because it was SUCH a different environment, but he was really very good. I think I can handle future shows now.
Delete