Follow along with my thought process for Tuesday evening...
Geez, Ransom is up to, hmm, Thursday,Friday,Saturday,Sunday,Monday, my gosh... today's day 6! Talk about no gas in the tank if I keep up this level of high energy work?! Okay, let's lunge. Wait, I'm committing to QUIT lunging so much and just ride. Okay, let's grab the western saddle, go goof off. No, that's almost too easy and hard to make long enough to even stretch his legs. Let's grab the bareback pad, that'll do. I'll go to the arena, twisted bit, and have my lunge line just in case he's a doof.
Okay, here we are, at the arena. Aw, heck! This IS day 6! We don't need no stinkin' lunge line, do we baby boy?! Got the bridle on, pad's as tight as I can fix it, wiggle up, Ah, I'm on. And of we are at a walk.
That feels great! I'd swear I was in my dressage saddle if somebody else asked. This is really comfy. Ransom, you're doing great! All sweet long & low. Shorten my reins, ahhh, collected walk is really smooth up here.
Well, better now or never. squeeze, up! cool, a, ew, yuck, this ain't comfy at aLL! yucko trot, Rans. No, ain't your fault. You're collected, but those withers are still up - there. Yuck. Hmm, I'm in a good spot in the arena. Look where you want to go, oh geez, I hope he doesn't...
Squeeze... Yeah, my bad, I know I leaned forward really ugly like. Sorry, dude. Bad idea, maybe you're right. No, we'll never do it if I don't try, squeeze, wadda mane, squeeze.
Oh my holy geepers awesome! EEP! It's a canter! bareback! Holy me! I didn't see those loose reins until right now. Goodness, gather up, ooooooooooooh... my goodness, why do I ever use a saddle?! This bareback collected canter is DA BOMB! exhale, knees.. back to a trot, good buddy.
Ransom and I rode together walk, trot, canter (two sets each direction) bareback for about a half hour.
Alright, dear, I have to know, can I? Squeeze, up to canter, good, one circle, two circle, let's just see... Awwwww freaking YAY! Airplane arms for 7-8-9-10-11-12, yup, that's about a circle, let's gather up & walk it out.
I am reminded on days like Tuesday how blessed I am to have found Ransom. Airplane arms, bareback, at the canter, we made almost an entire circle. And not the whole arena, but about a 35-40m circle - at one end of the arena. He followed my seat & legs the entire ride. We were connected... it was incredible.
Needless to say, Ransom had Wednesday off. I think we both earned it.
4 comments:
A-W-E-S-O-M-E-!!!
What Yankecwgrl said!
Maybe I'll get brave enough to canter bareback this year.
I'm so happy for you (and unbelievably jealous)!!!!!
Give Ransom a big ole kiss from me.
unbelievably jealous.. oh my dear..
May I recommend when you've got a few free hours, dig back a few years, and look back where I was when I was terrified to canter, in a roundpen, in my western saddle, death grip on the saddle horn.. A "good day" was one circle around without fear..
Having a horse like Ransom is an irreplacable gift for a beginner..
SWEET!!!!
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