Monday, April 6, 2009

Monday morning let downs

Actually despite the title of this post, it's not that bad of a morning. I spent the entire day at the barn yesterday and it was great. The sun was actually shining and it lifted my spirits some. I was feeling a little lazy when I got there and just hung out watching a lesson going on and talking to the barn owner and another boarder. My roomie showed up for a few minutes, she was working but had managed to sneak away to the barn to visit for half an hour. After she left I decided it was time to get my butt in gear and I went and got Aragon out and groomed him up. As I was brushing him I noticed a little more muscle on his light frame and his butt was a little more defined. I tacked him up and he stood still as a statue even when the mare he was crosstied to was in full blown heat and had her ass presssed up against her stall. Women, always making the first move hehehe.

So I decided to forego any lunging or ring work and lead him over to the picnic table and hopped on. I want him to get used to just getting on and going without it being a big deals since my hopes is to have him be my trail horse for the summer. He pranced some and half passed down the entire driveway. He had a minor melt down not wanting to go any further. It's really quite comical. He backs up and thinks that he can get away with it. HE will eventually get tired of backing and not getting his way and then decided that it's best to go where I think we should go. You can't get into a fight with him or that will just add fuel to the argument, you have to be careful with stallions when it comes to arguments and being a little pushy, they can take that as a challenge and will never let go of it. After our little Michael Jackson moon walking session it was pretty much smooth sailing. I let him trot right out. After 8 years on the track he relaxes more when he is moving and able to kinds get his brain in gear. I compromised with him, he could trot as long as it was straight and he didn't lean on my inside leg. He decided that this was a good deal and away we went. Aragon is really amazing on the trail. Nothing fazes him. I took him further than we had gone before, about 7 miles. We rode on dirt roads and even busy paved roads. There were kids and dogs, and flags attached to mail boxes and swollen running streams everywhere. He walked along like a pro. we worked a lot on cantering straight and relaxing, he did the best he has done so far. Half way through the ride we were both relaxed and I was holding the reins on the buckle just feeling the swing of his belly.

When we got back to the barn he was sufficiently tired but still had a sparke in his eye. I gave him a good curry taking more winter hair off and a handful of treats. I just love this horse. Even though he is a nut job of a TB stallion, he can be so good and is just sometimes misunderstood.

I stayed at the abrn a little longer and then went home to clean the apartment. I had been really good all day and not talked or texted Greg. He really needs to contact me if he wants to communicate. When my roomie came home we ate a delicious meal of mac n cheese (the dinner of single gals world wide) and then on a whim decided to go to the barn and ride our ponies around the indoor bareback, Possum hadn't been worked that day so I thought it would be a good idea. It was just about dark when we got there and the horses were sedttling in for the night after already eating their dinner hay. Possum was great. I swear he is better bareback than with a sadddle. I wish I got some on video. We jumped some small lines and even did a series of three bounces. Then I put on diagonal up to 3'6". Possum flew over it easily and I actually did a really good job. My legs were strong and tight and held me in my two point over the jump while I practiced an automatic release. It was amazing just flying together with nothing between us. I'm a complete sap, I know. After about half an hour we put their blankies back on and turned them back out. My legs were sore and tires, meaning that I had worked them well and correctly.

SO It's Monday and I still havn't heards from Greg, but that's OK. I can do this. I have summer and shows and friends to look forward to and many horse adventures I'm sure of. The weather is supposed to be shitty for the next few days so it looks like minimal riding for me and sit-ups and running instead of riding for me. I'm bound and determined to shed some of this weight I have accumulated since my accident.

4 comments:

cdncowgirl said...

My mare is an OTTB and like Aragon she seems to settle down and focus more if you let her *move*
I've learned that if she's being a bit of a dipshit that a strong working trot settles her right down.
Its like TB's need a little push to get the gears turning in their brains lol

Glad you had an awesome weekend at the barn. I got out and rode yesterday to (about 4 1/2 miles) but as things melt more its going to be a challenge to find a spot to ride without hauling :(

Anonymous said...

I think, that in time you'll find that concentrating on you is the best thing.

It's good that you're getting lots of pony therapy in the mean time.

Leah Fry said...

Ponies ARE the best therapy! I love riding bareback. There's something primal about a gal riding her pony bareback, isn't there?

Anonymous said...

HA! I liked your Micheal Jackson moonwalking comment! So true that's exactly what they do.

I know what you mean - I have gain a little to and now that I am feeling better I am trying to get it back off - it's being stubborn but I am still working at it....

Hold Steady - if Gregg doesn't want to chat then fine, you have a ton of thing to do anyways... right? Oregon is right focus on you. Guys always think they need to be the focus...