I have been very frustrated with Nina lately. We are mostly walking, a tiny bit of trotting. I want to keep her moving and 1. help her leg heal and 2. not make it worse.
She has been a champion of fidgeting, right back to our very first days of riding. Head slinging, rooting (she did stop this) just generally making me feel like we have no communication, which I have worked so hard at.
Today I had a light bulb moment, well, really a big DUH! moment.
She was slinging her head around, I was trying to keep very little contact, just enough to help avoid being dumped. I suddenly realized that I was fidgeting with the reins, correcting every crooked step or head toss by fiddling with the reins, not a lot, just ANNOYING. I told myself to stop it and just hold my hands still and guess what.... ding ding ding... the other end of the reins quit fidgeting too.
I think I have totally forgotten how to ride.
She has been a champion of fidgeting, right back to our very first days of riding. Head slinging, rooting (she did stop this) just generally making me feel like we have no communication, which I have worked so hard at.
Today I had a light bulb moment, well, really a big DUH! moment.
She was slinging her head around, I was trying to keep very little contact, just enough to help avoid being dumped. I suddenly realized that I was fidgeting with the reins, correcting every crooked step or head toss by fiddling with the reins, not a lot, just ANNOYING. I told myself to stop it and just hold my hands still and guess what.... ding ding ding... the other end of the reins quit fidgeting too.
I think I have totally forgotten how to ride.
Nice!!!! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteAn Aha moment! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your detective work is paying off. :)
Great aha moment! Way to go.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet... you sorted this out! Good for you for paying attention and addressing your own body to see what might happen next. This is something I remind myself to do every time I hit a snag with the Big Bay.
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice, sometimes the best thing to do for yourhorse is nothing at all.... and I think we all have a tendancy to forget that. Good work.
ReplyDelete