Thurs 8th April 2010
S couldn't ride, I went in the afternoon as Ed was at Sue's for a visit. I decided to take D into the woods on the left which i have only done on foot once or twice. I walked through the fields and D came down with me most enthusiastically and waited at the gate to go out! He was disappointed when I took him to the shed to get ready!
A quick lick later and we were out. D was very happy to go out and I mounted at the bank at the end of the road (wearing saddle). D was reluctant to go into the woods at first, and the following pattern continued all the way:
1. Stand goggling a bit
2. Relax
3. Walk on at Lucy's request (I was aiming to get to a fixed point a few feet away)
4. Stop at Lucy's request (although may have been wavering a bit before)
5. Treat
When I asked D to go forward it was with very obvious pedalling and moving my upper body and seat. Basically, he was unconfident but obedient and didn't get spooky as I didn't push him across any thresholds (or so I thought!)
We got to the walled garden and were just coming out to the open field when a pair of horses that had passed us on the way out, came back towards us. I wondered whether to stay on then though better of it (TG) and got off. When the riders approached, the leader asked if I knew I shouldn't be in the woods. I gave a short reply but D was already getting his tail kinked up and there wasn't enough room for them to pass safely. I thought it would be safest if I went out of the woods first as I could see D was getting really excited.
I was OK in front doing falling leaf while D pranced & trying to keep up a conversation with the leader (inc telling her D was just backed!). However, at the first opportunity she overtook me and went off up a parallel path leaving me in the boggiest part of the woods with a wild pony trying to keep up. I tried to get D to go sideways as he kept pulling off in front of me but it was hopeless and I ended up clinging onto his head like the grooms leading the racehorses to the starting stalls! I shouted out "You may have a loose horse with you in a minute" at which point the leader turned and said "Oh really?! Shall I wait?"
I had actually dropped the rope as D pulled away but managed to stand on the end and he just about came back as I said "Yes I really would like you to wait!" She declared herself in a hurry but did wait and, once back on the road, I was confident of regaining control as 1. D calmed down back in the safer environment and 2. I had better footing from which to hold on!
I felt really p'd off after this due to
1. My inability to be able to control D - I certainly couldn't have gone on the way I wanted to go!
2. The fact that he's so wild around other horses (even when he's with Moet)
3. That it's not about the horses really - it could be tractors or deer or buggies or umbrellas - he doesn't trust me as the leader yet. Yes, after all this time!!!
4. The fact I'd got a ticking off and the rider hadn't given a hoot about my safety either
Hey Ho. It's all a learning curve but I must admit that for the first time in a very long time I thought "I don't know if I'm up to, or up for, this!" Really D needs a lot more work than I can give him to make appropriate progress for his age. He could do with being around more horses more often and obviously needs even more leadership and ground work than he's getting from me. I guess I'm not used to feeling a failure as we've had such a good run that my emotional fitness is not at it's best! I'm not a quitter 'though so it's onwards march to work on:
1. Leadership on the ground - need to push out of the comfort zone to develop this now
2. Familiarisation with other horses
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