11/10/09 Turned Into ...

Let me just tell you all about my evening of...
The Lunging Session that turned into
The Walk down the road that turned into
The Walk through the pasture that turned into
The HoP over the wood pallet that turned into
The Walk to the Arena that turned into
The Working Pony that turned into
The Arena long&low at trot & canter

In the afternoon, I had decided I wouldn't be riding - I'd just lunge Ransom in side reins. Let him get the exercisin'. Yeah, By the trip home, I was a bit more motivated. So I decided the weather was fantabulous, and we needed a mental break. So I'd just walk him around the yard, and if I got the courage, we'd walk down the road away from the traffic a little ways.

As soon as I got him ready, tightened the girth, and got on, one of my neighbors that's been riding a gator-cart thing while she "walks" her 8 dogs when whizzing by in her SUV, about 25mph down the road. "Craps on that idea of riding on the road with Ransom", I muttered under my breath. We walked around the yard a little while.

Then I meandered into his pasture, top right side by the house. I have a wooden pallet out there on the fence line that was a "Bridge" for Romeo to wander over. Ransom walked over it after much debate & discussion. I had a good laugh when he first decided he couldn't walk over it, but he could HOP over it. Silly boy!

After we walked over it four times successfully, I decided, "Well, ain't no reason we can't walk back to the arena & walk through, then I'll walk around a while more & call him done." As soon as we entered the arena, Ransom's walk picked up to this steady, flowing extended walk. He started reaching for the bit contact, and I could feel his back round up. My man wasn't in the mood to goof off & meander, He wanted to work!

I hopped off long enough to close the gates, and I mounted again. We walked the arena on the rail again, and I barely took up rein contact. Ransom stretched his whole neck down & into the contact. Just as soon as he was barely on the bit, he relaxed, and slowed a little. I asked for trot, and again, he reached out stretchie looking for the bit, and when he found it, he settled into a pretty hunter trot.

For the giggles at this point in the ride, I asked for canter. Again, in a very steady & relaxed frame, Ransom cantered along, looking for the bit. When he found it, he relaxed - to the point I had to keep my leg on him to keep him in the canter.

A neat 45 minute ride. Had fun! Certainly not what I intended to do, but I enjoyed the ride anyways.