When I went to go ride Sharlie, Julia had already played with her some and she was now diving for the grass. I breathed out, quietly singing to her as she desperately reached for grass again and again. I ended up doing both lateral flexion and raising my phases (not at the same time) to get her to bring her head up. I would then let her eat some more, and let her quietly bring her head up. When she was finally a bit calmer, I readied myself to get on.
I hopped... one, two three, jump. Unfortunately, I slid just short of where I needed to be on her, so it didn't work out. The second time, I did make it on her back as she stood fairly calmly. I informed Julia that I was going to ride her around in the barnyard a bit before going into the backfield.
I watched eve approach, watched bugs fly through the air, dragonflies seeming to skim upon the wind, and let myself feel Sharlie's gait. She began to lower her head dramatically and stretch her legs out. Sharlie, in that time, became very calmed and neutral. She seemed to enjoy being so peaceful, just walking across the barnyard.
As we began to approach Julia, she began to rip for grass. Each time was a little bit harder, a little bit stiffer, a little bit more desperate. I tried to soothe Sharlie, because it gets to the point of where it is not only a sign of dominance, but a sign of stress. Once I gave her a point to go towards, a focus, she began to have a productive gait, not at all choppy, and stopped diving for grass. For this, I would let her eat grass every here and there. By this point, we were headed towards the gate for the backfield. My heart soared - she was so nice to ride, being much less opinionated (and therefore easier) than my two girls.
Once we were out in the backfield, I was in my space. The wide open is always something that I relish in, that soothes me, that 'brings me to life' so to speak.
Sharlie and I started walking across the field. It was very peaceful there, even with Julia trying to run ahead to take pictures. She was extremely calm, as was I. We trotted now, towards the hill for a moment. Her trot reached outward, her head down, as she was floating across the ground. My weight moved her over to the right a bit, so that we were focused on a different area. As we walked up the hill, she remained calm and only thought about trotting once, but realized that that was not my intention. We walked slowly down the path towards an area that was less steep, then to go across. Shalie and I stood on the hill as Julia came over. For the life of me, I cannot remember what she said during that time.
We walked down the hill somewhat, and were ready to canter. I found a fairly long place to go, had a plan in mind of where to go, and set out to do so. The first time, we were completely unconnected at the trot simply because of me. I had become so absorbed in the idea of canter that I had forgotten to keep the connection with Sharlie. As we walked back again, I regained it, then being able to turn around, trot, and then canter up the slightly sloping hill.
Her canter was very unbalanced, mostly on the forehand and a bit sloped to the right. The lumpy footing probably wasn't helping much, but Cherish has easily and quickly navigated across the same before. As I straightened up, sat back, and conveyed the image of he cantering nicely up the hill to her, she did go into two or three nice, calm, relaxed, balanced canter beats before I had her stop. We walked back down the hill towards Julia in peace.
All in all, it was a really wonderful ride.It seems that the more time I spend with other people's horses, the more I learn about my own, and the more I remind myself that I need to connect at all times. Connecting is so extremely necessary, but often I have a harder time grasping that with my own horses than I do with others. It might all be habitual, really.
(Julia's Note: Then Kara will be riding her again!)
Once we were out in the backfield, I was in my space. The wide open is always something that I relish in, that soothes me, that 'brings me to life' so to speak.
Sharlie and I started walking across the field. It was very peaceful there, even with Julia trying to run ahead to take pictures. She was extremely calm, as was I. We trotted now, towards the hill for a moment. Her trot reached outward, her head down, as she was floating across the ground. My weight moved her over to the right a bit, so that we were focused on a different area. As we walked up the hill, she remained calm and only thought about trotting once, but realized that that was not my intention. We walked slowly down the path towards an area that was less steep, then to go across. Shalie and I stood on the hill as Julia came over. For the life of me, I cannot remember what she said during that time.
We walked down the hill somewhat, and were ready to canter. I found a fairly long place to go, had a plan in mind of where to go, and set out to do so. The first time, we were completely unconnected at the trot simply because of me. I had become so absorbed in the idea of canter that I had forgotten to keep the connection with Sharlie. As we walked back again, I regained it, then being able to turn around, trot, and then canter up the slightly sloping hill.
Her canter was very unbalanced, mostly on the forehand and a bit sloped to the right. The lumpy footing probably wasn't helping much, but Cherish has easily and quickly navigated across the same before. As I straightened up, sat back, and conveyed the image of he cantering nicely up the hill to her, she did go into two or three nice, calm, relaxed, balanced canter beats before I had her stop. We walked back down the hill towards Julia in peace.
All in all, it was a really wonderful ride.It seems that the more time I spend with other people's horses, the more I learn about my own, and the more I remind myself that I need to connect at all times. Connecting is so extremely necessary, but often I have a harder time grasping that with my own horses than I do with others. It might all be habitual, really.
(Julia's Note: Then Kara will be riding her again!)
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