Short Ride

Tonight I actually managed to get in a very short ride.  I wasn’t going to ride, today was miserably sticky.  Not really warm, well 84 degrees I think but it was just SO sticky.  The boys spent the night out last night *gasp* I know right?  I’m a horrible pony mom!!  Those two are so spoiled it’s not funny, why go outside in the bugs when we can stand in our stall with mom doting on us and feeding us yummy hay?!  *sigh* I’ve created monsters.

Anyway – I was having a not so great afternoon and just was going to brush some of the mud off Buddy and spend some horsey time with my ponies.  Famous last words for me.  I decided to try the saddle on Buddy that I’d bought from Vince’s dad a couple years ago, why I didn’t do this BEFORE I bought the roping saddle is beyond me – this saddle fits him well and it’s synthetic so it is LIGHT which is a definite plus! 

I brushed the caked on mud off – that boy loves to roll and grind in as much mud as possible!  And put the saddle on, no pad first and it looked ok, so I grabbed a pad and tacked up.  He didn’t really look all that thrilled with me, “bad mom, make me stay out all day/night/day and then you’re going to ride me?!” Yes silly pony it won’t kill you ~ I had Ethan grab me his bridle and slipped it on, no problems.  I can’t remember if I mentioned this or not, but I noticed on my last 2 rides, maybe even on the Wildlands ride too but I can’t remember, I was using an eggbutt bit.  I’d used a Mylar full cheek snaffle for our first few rides, but when I got my new bridle that RMY picked up for me at Brighton Saddlery I discovered that the slots on the cheeks weren’t large enough for my bridles hardware to fit thru, I know that sounds odd doesn’t it?  I ended up switching Buddy to a D ring snaffle that has copper rollers on it, he was doing well in that bit and I probably should have just left well enough alone, but I was trying to get him in a bit that just fit him a little better, 5” mouth is a little too big.  Well, he’s been “lugging” on my arms the last couple rides and getting real frustrated, I wasn’t sure it was the bit but now that I’ve ridden him back in the D bit and he was fine, very responsive and no “lugging” I’m just going to leave well enough alone!! 

SO!  Me and my tangents, sorry!  I had him all tacked and grabbed the stool.  Yes he’s only 14.1 but I just can’t get up there from the ground without yanking and pulling on him and I don’t want to hurt him!  He started to circle and be a twirp and I just circled him and told him to whoa and he did.  *sigh* he’s such a good boy, I need to remember that if I approach all of this with a calm manner, he doesn’t act all stupid about it.  My nerves have been shot so every little thing that happens I’ve over reacted to.  Did I need to smack him the other day when he wouldn’t stand calmly for me to get on him?  Nope obviously not and what did it accomplish really?  Ok so that’s another story altogether.  I got on my stool, put my foot in the stirrup and went to step up and the saddle slipped whoops someone didn’t tighten the girth Of course, I was laying across his back with the saddle twisted and he kept turning back to look at me like “what ARE you doing?” So I took a minute to just lay there and pat his face and “hang out” rub his sides that kind of thing.  He didn’t spaz which was a good thing since when I went to step back down the saddle ended up completely on his side.  He didn’t blink. I loosened the girth and fixed the saddle, tightened it up and then climbed on up.  We just went to the end of the driveway and then I did something I haven’t done hardly at all with him…..WE TROTTED, like more than 5 steps!!  We trotted the entire length of the driveway!!!  I kept my hands down, out of his face, and I just let him go.  I did post to it, and he was very happy – ears up and alert not like he’s been previously at the trot – ears back kind of hesitant to move out.  I think it has been a combination of not a great fit for the saddle and too much interference from me.  It has to be hard for him, knowing that I’m asking for a trot with my legs and getting all in his face with my hands.  I’m working on it!!

We only made a couple laps, did a little backing and some just standing.  I need to get some miles on him if I’m going to take him on vacation with me in TWO WEEKS!!! YIKES! It’s approaching fast!  More on that another day though – now it’s time to cuddle with the dog and go to bed.  She’s a little upset right now, not only did Daddy leave today for work, but our oldest son left with him and my mother to spend 2 weeks in NY with my mom’s sister.  Poor Gin doesn’t know what to think!!