Let's RIDE

So we have. I've gotten on Stella the past 3 days, as she has OFFICIALLY started her under-saddle training. I sold my Wintec Pro dressage saddle and ended up buying one of my college professors old Wintec A/P. It's in GREAT shape, has the adjustable gullet system, and actually fit LBM very well without any other modifications. I'm going to have it reflocked, but for the time being it's fine just to sit in and play around. We're not doing any serious work, just learning some basics, installing a few of the simpler buttons and getting her used to the idea of me not being on the ground to direct her anymore.

So, what progress have we made, you ask? Well, right now we just hit the 3 day hump. Today was better than the previous days by far. Each day I have to start out with a pretty lengthy lunge session; all the horses here are BONKERS over the weather; it's April and I'm still blanketing heavily, there's still tons of snow on the ground, and everybody is just sick of it. I can't work this mare enough right now, so her attention span is pretty short.

Most of the sessions have been spent doing a LOT of lateral flexions, hindquarter disengagements and halt/walk transitions. I haven't been able to do much trot work and I haven't started her to the canter yet. She spooks and bolts a lot, which is oddly unlike her; she's so attune to everything else that's going on, and yet she's so eager to do whatever I'm asking, she gets frustrated really easily. I don't want to discourage her from going forward, but at the same time she has yet to figure out that I set the pace, not her. I think a large part of the issue is the weather and lack of good turnout (and no pasture; most years we have at least some grass by now), and also the ridiculous amount of tension there is in the indoor arena. I've never liked it. Ernie never liked it. The first time I got on Stella was last summer, in a different arena at a different barn, and not ONCE did I have an issue like this. She's always been antsier in this arena, in when I was working her in side reins or in long lines. I want everything to warm up and thaw so I can get her outside and on the 1/2 mile track, or in the field, or something, just to get her away from the sandbox. I don't want to spoil training for her.

I am happy to say that there has been progress by the end of each ride. I stop when I feel she's soft (for her training level), relaxed and not hyper-vigilant to everything going on. When she tunes into me, that's when I call it quits. I'm learning quickly that I can't bully her into anything. I knew that before, but I guess I underestimated just how stubborn mares can be. She isn't terribly forgiving, and she tries so darn hard at everything you can see the smoke coming from her ears. All I want from her right now is forward, but quiet forward. Not maniacal. I want to instill in her very quickly that as long as she tunes into me, everything will be just fine. So far it's been OK, we'll keep you posted!