We kept up the riding progress, and I actually made it out the barn every day last week (which won't happen again for a while I'm afraid, thanks to daylight-savings ending :P). By the end of the week, Gwen was calmly trotting along the short side of the arena, whoohoo! Yesterday, we picked up again, and even tho the ground was muddy and gross, and there were lots of other horses in the arena, Gwen made lots of progress! Her trot is getting consistently more mellow (no more speedy/pogo-stick trotting!), and though it's no where near what would be considered a western 'jog', it's definitly not as bad as it used to be!
But I have to say that, undoutebly, the best part of yesterday was not our time in the arena (although that was awesome!), it was the time just before it when I was saddling her up. Wow. What a different horse from last week! Last Monday, when saddling, she was internal, half-lidded, tense and clearly not happy. Very RBI. Yesterday? Ears perked, watching me, interested in things around her... happy to stand still while I showed her the blanket and saddle, eager to put her nose on both.. I was shocked and amazed. For a moment (a very brief moment) I wondered if I had accidently pulled the wrong horse from the ring!
Her attitude stayed up-beat and connected for the whole evening, too. She was happy to move off in a circle, stood quietly by the mounting block with no tension, and didn't try to move forward as I got on... simply put, she was outstandingly connected and a total partner. And this with a ring full of kids on ponies?! Crazy!
The only time she got a bit grouchy and tense is when said kids-on-ponies would run up her butt. She didn't kick, but she'd get a grouchy-mare face and start tensing up. The kids are young, but definitely know better than that. I politely informed them that they did NOT want to run up Gwen's butt (her mother, Missy, was notorious for kicking out at horses who followed too close, and I wasn't sure if Gwen took after her or not... better safe than sorry), but when polite, and pointed, instruction failed, I simply halted Gwen on the rail and waited for the kids to realize they had to GO AROUND! I wish I'd had a camera, because for a moment I had a little trail of ducklines all along the fence because no one seemed to want to pass us! They are lucky the riding instructor was busy... seriously, all those kids know better than to just follow the leader.
One of the things I really respect about my riding instructor/barn owner, is that she really teaches you to RIDE your horse, and not just sit there. She makes her students take responsibility for themselves and their horses. She always preaches to GO AROUND, or make a circle, or do SOMETHING so that you are not just following the horse in front of you. So yeah, laziness rather than lack of knowledge. Plus, it was funny to watch them all just... stop behind us :) But it fixed the crawl-up-Gwen's-butt habit quick.
Rant aside, Gwen did terrific with kids and ponies and mud, etc. I love my girl XD
Unfortunately, it looks like I will only be able to get to the barn three nights a week, due to the time change. Tuesday and Thursday, I don't get out of work until 530, and now... well. It's practically dark at that time. And we do not have a lighted arena (or lights at all, really). I may take to going on the weekends, since that was previously my 'days off', but we'll see.
Either way, awesome progress for Gwen and me! Can't wait to see how she behaves tomorrow :)
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| Lookin' so cute in a lesson saddle! |
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| Holding my brushes. What a good partner! |
J
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