India Ride Report

I'll just share the email I sent to Kathleen Lindley tonight.

Hey Kathleen,
I just have to tell you what a great ride I had tonight on India. I love that I can feel things coming together and the two of us really working. Thank you for giving me the confidence to make it happen!

India stood beautifully while I tacked up. We went to the arena and once mounted (she fidgeted too much the first time I got on, so I got off and tried again and that time she remembered that standing still is what's required) my goal was to walk and practice halting using just an exhale and sitting deeper. We'd practiced that last Saturday and Sunday, but I didn't really start using that as my cue to halt until later in the ride Saturday and Sunday she had it pretty well down, but she also was very zoomy at the trot, too fast, and getting the working trot I wanted wasn't happening, and when I finally did ask for a canter, she threw in a good buck each time. So, today's goal? No bucking in our canter transitions and a steady trot. The exhaling while halting I believe was the key to that success because after we'd walked around the arena several times, changing direction often and stopping with an exhale (and the cue to halt went from exhale/sitdeep/pulllightlybackonthereins to only exhale/sitdeep after about four or five tries), I then asked for the trot. What was cool is that I could slow it down using only the exhale. True, a few times I had to add in a slight rein as well as deep sitting, but they were few. Exhale and she slowed down. (That is so cool. <-I am such a fangirl of riding!) So, we trotted many times around the arena, changing direction often and slowing down using the exhale and then she really began to keep the speed I wanted for longer and longer periods, also not speeding up in the corners where she anticipates a canter transition, but nice, steady trotting. Trot, trot, trot, exhale, trot, trot, trot. Nice contact, but not much, she was very light feeling and I got the added bonus of having her go where I looked rather than using the reins. If someone had been there to take a picture, I'm sure I would have had a big grin on my face.

More nice trotting and then when it seemed as though a canter was not in her mind at all, coming out of the corner while tracking left I just raised up and thought canter and she picked up that left lead just as nice as you please, no bucking at all. So, we circled the arena and then I sat down and exhaled and you guessed it: she trotted and we kept that going and then picked up the canter again and no bucking, just a nice, steady canter. Admittedly, a wee bit fast, but she was enjoying the canter, it wasn't too fast, and she didn't buck! So, back to the trot, change direction, lots of trotting and then a right lead canter with no bucking in the transition. More circling the arena at the canter, another trot, another canter, then more trotting and then finally a walk. I was thrilled.

We also headed down the drive as we're working on her going out by herself because the ride and tie is May 12th, which is sooner than I first thought. I was thinking September, but that's the ride and tie in north Tennessee over steep mountains and the one in May is in Asheville at the Biltmore Estate. Hilly, but not steep mountains and a wonderful location, so my friend and I have decided we'll do the 15 mile option and I'm working hard to get India in shape for that. She will get to rest while she's tied and we'll get to rest while we're riding, so if I can get her confidently headed down strange trails on her own, we should be good and I am feeling more confident with each ride. Soon we'll meet at a nearby national forest with horse trails and practice, so not only will we get to try out riding out alone, but tying and waiting. I figure if my partner and I switch out running and riding often during our fifteen miles, India won't be tied for too long at any one time, but will have time enough to rest some, assuming she's not too anxious. We'll see what happens when we practice. But riding down the drive tonight there was no balking at all, like there was the first two times we tried it. Just a nice walk, albeit with a bit of weaving, but I'm working on that, too. When the horses turned out in the pasture next to the drive came galloping up, no doubt to commiserate on her ill fortune of having to work, she flicked an ear at them, but no acting silly, even when Cowboy let out a squeal and a buck and took off down the fence line. We went down a ways, turned around back to the barn, halted with an exhale, stood quietly, and then turned back down the drive. No fuss. I was so pleased that I only had her go another 20 feet and then turned around and went back to the barn, with one or two halts thrown in for good measure as we were heading back. She was quiet and seemed to be enjoying the adventure.

TONIGHT'S RIDE WAS GREAT!!