It's 10 degrees cooler than it was all week, with no sun, and occasional gusts and showers. To me it felt great. I love this kind of weather, but Mag was freezing. He was so stiff he had trouble giving me his hooves, and as I groomed him he kept saying, "Ouch, ouch" no matter how gently I brushed.
On the way to meet Ani he was snorting on every exhale, making me think of Worf, "Perhaps today is a good day to die." But I was in a good mood because I put no pressure on myself.
We were early so I tied Mag to a tree for practice. Pretend tied - I held the tip of the 12 foot rope. He did not like it at all, but stood there for me, fidgeting from time to time unhappily.
Then we set out together and I let Ani pick our trail today. We were on my side of town, some of the trails we were on last Friday with Seli. I was happy to see Ani wearing the helmet I gave her, it fits her so much better! I think we're the only two people in Germany riding in Troxels.
We had a terribly scary UPS encounter, and that poor driver was doing his very best to not scare the horses, but his truck was making all these rumbling noises and gassy noises, and well, it was like a monster bearing down on us, even as slow as he was going. Mag flipped around in front of me, prancing sideways, and as soon as the truck passed us, I said, "Let's chase it Mag!" and I ran after it. I could have jumped up on its bumper, the guy was going so slow for us. Mira didn't seem to mind, but she was suddenly way out in front of us, so maybe she did. There was absolutely no sidewalk and nowhere to get the horses out of that street, as is often the case when scary things approach.
Then we were in the woods and Mag started to settle down, so I told Ani I wanted to get on.
Easier said than done when her sweet old mare Mira refused to wait for us.
I found a good spot, told Ani, and as I adjusted my stirrups I looked up to see Mira trekking off into the distance, rounding a bend, going bye-bye!
I thought, "How freaking rude!" but I held my tongue, and just caught up and said, "OK let's try again." As I went to get on, I looked up and they were gone again. WTH. I was annoyed but it was almost amusing when it happened a third time.
I had almost given up on the idea when we rounded the next bend and there was Ani on the ground, holding Mira's reins and scolding her. So I got on, and gave Mag a cookie for standing still, as he can do so well, but I didn't want to set him up to fail as his friend repeatedly abandoned us.
When Ani tried to mount Mira again, she had a really hard time, because as soon as her foot was in the stirrup the mare took off in a hurried walk. Ani shouted "MIRA!" and finally got her stopped, and tried again, but never got her to really hold still. Ah yes, I remember those days of Baasha in a trot with me half on.
I was tempted to give Ani a lecture about trail etiquette, because she left me at the UPS truck today too, and it's a habit with her. But in those moments Ani seems to feel helpless, and probably wants to do the right thing, but doesn't know how, and she just becomes a passenger as Mira flees/walks off.
She complained, "She just won't stop for me!" and I said, "Something we should practice then." But I've said that line over and over.
I wish I could trust her to take care of us, but I don't want to be one of those people who are always telling other riders what to do.
So I'm on Mag's back again for the first time since the accident and felt electricity all through him, and did all the centered riding tricks I could think of to keep my body relaxed.
It didn't help that Mira was rushing down the hill faster than I'd ever seen her go. Her mane was bobbing in rhythmic waves, that's how fast she was going, despite her arthritis. She wanted to be HOME NOW.
Although we hadn't had much conversation until that point, as soon as I was up on Mag, I started talking, and somehow the topic turned to his panic and that was a bad idea. But then I got Ani talking and really listened to what she was saying, and that always helps me relax.
Finally we hit my very favorite trail, a steep, rutted switchback that takes the full concentration of the horses, so I feel totally safe on it. Mag dropped his head and "threw his weight into the collar."
He also politely stayed behind Mira almost the entire time, as I requested, though Seli could not keep him behind other horses Friday.
I started to enjoy myself and Aarene, I have to admit you were right about the stirrups. Putting them in the furthest back setting helped my feet stay seated perfectly.
Ani said, "Can I ride Mag?"
I was astonished, really? After all that violent falling off? I said OK but as I adjusted my stirrups, I said to her, "If he acts at all uncomfortable about you getting on his back, then let's not." She agreed, and as soon as she started to mount, he jumped forward, tail tucked, eyes wild. I said, "OK then, not today."
She was amazed that he's so afraid of her, but as we walked out of the woods onto the street, he put his face against her side and sniffed her deeply. I said, "He's trying to assure himself about you! He wants to see if you've got that jacket on, if there's any reason to fear!" She loved on him and said, "Oh Mag, you're a good horse, you really are. And you'll trust me again someday."
She said, "Although he's not reliable now, I believe he will be someday."
I said, "That's my hope."
We parted ways at a bench where I tied Mag to another tree and sat down to drink my water. This time I had ice water and it started raining on me and I had only a vest on (Ani was amazed I was out in a vest in such weather). I admit, sitting in the rain drinking ice water was turning me into a popsicle so I finally untied Mag and we went home, but I allowed him to graze along our street.
A 3 hour outing, and I rode maybe 20 minutes of that. But nobody died: )
Pics of us from last June:
8 comments:
Not standing still for mounting is one of my biggest pet peeves. Not only is it rude when others are around, it is down right dangerous to be in such a vulnerable position and have the horse walk off. Hopefully, she learns to get a bit tougher with that. I'm glad you decided ot get on him and are moving forward.
Sara, since you're an endurance rider you know Trail Etiquette++.
"those people who are always telling other riders what to do." snork, and you left out "those people who tell other riders what to do BUT DON'T FOLLOW THEIR OWN INSTRUCTIONS."
But in the case of leaving a rider half-mounted on a green horse, that's potentially dangerous. Can you give Ani and Mira a TASK while you're mounting? Like, "stand on his off-side so he doesn't swing his butt when I mount." That would keep them in place AND actually be helpful.
Glad the stirrup adjustment helps.
Aarene, that request would be deceptive (cuz Mag doens't move when I mount) but I could use it to get her on board with what is helpful behavior when others need assistance (their friend not rushing off, well obviously that is what I needed, cuz Mag is not perfect).: ): ) You're right that directing her with specifics would help, rather than just "wait for us." Thanks for that.
Finding a riding partner with good etiquette isn't as easy as it should be.
I'm glad you had some good moments with Mags. I'm of the same mind- if I don't feel safe, I don't get on. And it doesn't bother me to dismount and lead my horse if his/her brain isn't with me.
Personally, given what you said about Ani in this post, I would not let her ride Mags again. She comes across as a green rider- I am sure she has experience, but someone who cannot get her horse to stand still long enough to mount, and then lets her walk off right away is not experienced enough in my mind, to be riding a green horse- every single thing you do on a horse like Mags needs to be a positive training outcome.
Shirley, do you know how many people have told me "Just stay on the horse, no matter what."?
*sigh*
To concede with how cold it became today, my husband is at the moment making a fire in our woodstove, as I sit here wrapped up in a blanket in my warmest clothing, thinking a fire is not necessary. But Mag is so happy in his Winter blanket again, he's beaming. OK it's only 12C and all last week it was 24C. I wondered about it today, that I smelled so much smoke from home fires.
My horses STAND when I'm mounting, because as a former broken person, there was no way I could get on otherwise. I'm no longer broken (other than being older than I used to be, sigh), but the training sticks--both for the horses and for me. Even Hana, whom I ride maybe once or twice a year, stands absolutely still when I'm mounting, although she walks off with Duana all the time. Horses remember: THIS person will not tolerate wiggling, and THAT person will.
The trick is convincing a horse that you (or in this case, Ani) have changed your mind and are not longer the person who will tolerate wiggling--and then you don't tolerate it ever again. Re-training takes longer than training, but it can be done.
Be brave but be safe!!!
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