To ride dressage is to dance with your horse, equal partners in the delicate and sometimes difficult work of creating harmony and beauty.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

FULL of "potential"

We drove to Lincoln City to administer Lance's third and final shockwave treatment today. As soon as I walked up to his stall, I could sense attitude – not surprising in a four-year-old after four weeks of stall rest with only a few short walks. I thought I'd take him out to walk around while Rick set up his equipment, but he minced along on tip-toe or jigged. Hmm, that stud chain hanging on the outside of his stall was probably there for good reason. It was starting to rain anyway, so I lead him back inside, threaded the stud chain through his halter, and took him into the arena to continue our . . . walk. Well, I walked – and kept my eyes open for exploding horseflesh. After some warm-up hops and pops, Lance performed a capriole that would have made a Lipizzaner proud!

To his credit, Lance never once aimed a foot my way, keeping his energetic expressions well away from my person but within the range of his lead rope. We finished his walk while his "sleepy shot" was wearing off after treatment....

Late this afternoon I got Horton out for some exercise. I figured he might be a bit full of it as well, what with colder weather and being cooped up since Sunday, so I lunged him in side reins first. While he was obedient at walk and trot, his clamped tail indicated tension. When I asked for canter, that tension exploded into bucking worthy of the National Finals Rodeo!

I just sent him on and insisted he get back to work which he eventually did, and we finished up with some work under saddle at the walk.

I finally got an answer on this weekend's show; it was under-subscribed so they cancelled it. So nice of them to make me track down that information less than a week before I expected to ride down centerline! Anyway, there is another show being held this weekend; it is full and has no cancellations on Sunday so far, but I told the show's secretary that I am willing to ride Intro tests HC in any time slot. Guess I'll just keep preparing and waiting, like I have been!

8 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Glad Lance is progressing (and that Horton got his "kinks" worked out)! ;-)

sylkan said...

They were ALL full of it today. Bella wanted to buck with me as well, and she is supposed to be a sedate matron. We had a power outage at the barn due to car wreck up the road, and I didn't get to ride until later, since I was helping do bring-in and feed chores in case power not on before dark. Then she was mad cause everyone else was eating and she was working. Wild hairs due to change in weather? Well, ala Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day."

cheyenne jones said...

Funnily enough all mine were "out of their trees yesterday!" Totally bonkers! No idea why, never seen such a day as that! gave up and went home.

Mary said...

Well, horse communication is alive and well. Nick, over here in Klamath Falls, has earned the Goof award of my barn for taking apart the front of his stall on Monday night and then being a handful on Tuesday. Lots of ground work...lots. :-)

Michelle said...

Well, what do you know! I guess yesterday was Worldwide Wiggy Horse Day! I thought it was just the weather here, but sounds like it was wider-spread than that. :-)

Michelle said...

Just came back in from working Horton. Didn't lunge him first; did lots of walk, trot, halt, transitions and lateral work. Saving the canter work for tomorrow; I'm bold, not stupid!

sylkan said...

If you don't get Horton into Sunday's show, want to haul him over to Sherwood Stables some fine day for riding away from home? If weather decent, I could ride Bella and we could trail ride a bit, and you could see how Hortie does on his "home turf." I'd gladly cover gas costs. Just let me know how much. It's all "training."

Michelle said...

Sounds like a good idea. We WILL get some more fine days yet this fall, right? RIGHT?

Actually, Sunday isn't supposed to be too bad (last I looked); what are you doing Sunday if we aren't showing?