You need to get everything perfect and hope it works out

Well, I had my first really bad ride. I guess you should see a ride like that coming when the instructor starts a dialogue with “I don’t care if she quits, but ……” It’s funny; when I was younger I used to be sort of snotty if anyone said anything bad about my riding, mostly teenagers never take criticism well and think of themselves as invincible. Now I am in my 20’s, I had a bad ride with Runoff, and I now all I want to say is “I’m OK with not being a good enough rider to jump Runoff. I am perfectly fine riding her on the flat until I can get her to respond to my aids.” I actually said something like that, and was sort of scoffed at. Maybe my expectations of myself are low, rather than fair, I dunno. I have realized I’ll be perfectly content bopping around on oversized ponies for the rest of my life rather than being a master horse trainer who can fix anything and everything. 

In contrast, Ami was a super star, not only for the day but even in looking at where she was on Monday. In one ride she went from nearly running away with me and eagerly over-jumping everything, to cantering around obediently, waiting for my input and respecting my aids at every jump. Tom explained that we both have bad habits with each other, and really need to get comfortable with the leg being put on as a supporting “keep going” aid, rather than rocketing “go for it” aid. We seemed to get it right after he said it, I am sure it could be even better still, because nothing is really 100% the first time in riding. I am really happy though that she has seemed to settle down in two sessions, rather than two weeks or two months, which is realistic with horses.

Ok, it’s time to get wordy. I’m not one of those owners who thinks that their horse is perfect. I know Ami has had her questionable moments over the past seven years that we’ve been together, and I accept that she has been truly rotten at times. However, I know her inside and out, and when she isn’t behaving ideally I know how to work through it. I have faith that it’s going to work out, because I can think back to the hundreds of times it has worked out. That’s a relationship. In contrast, I’ve been riding Runoff for a month or so. She has nice conformation, is well bred, has nice gaits, and has had correct training her whole life. I feel like I know her well enough, and I enjoy riding her, but in the face of adversity she hasn’t done anything to earn my trust. Meanwhile, on Monday I didn’t ride Ami as well as I could have to a new fence. She just about slid to the base, crawled over it, and bless her heart cantered away just as if I had given her the ride she actually deserved. We turned around, and she jumped it again eagerly, obviously not remembering the bad ride she was given a moment ago. That’s why I love ponies. 

Anyways, had a nice trail ride today. I found a spot where Kari and I said "Oh, we're really lost!" and it was literally 200ft from one of the main logging roads. Found this cute little creek, I think it's called Turnbow Creek.