Am I Being Unfair?

[Allyson]

*WARNING: LONG*

This is a question I often ask when I am working with horses. Usually, if you are not getting the response you want, you are doing something wrong. And so today, I have to ask myself in regard to Miss Cassie.

To start, she's 16.0 hh- and yes, while part Arab, she's part oaf. She's never been particularly graceful. Clutzy really, especially in a round pen or small arena. So, over the past few months, we've been working on free longeing, and she was doing quite OK on her own. Gone are the days of stumbling in the turns at trot or canter.

So, since she's back, I decided to get her into riding as quickly as possible so as to take advantage of all that was reinforced with Jon.

The first couple rides were easy w/t, with lots of bending, backing, etc- everything Jon stressed.

He also stressed taking her out- getting her in big spaces, and letting her work.

Well...I have a small arena. In the summer, we'll have a much bigger space. But for now, a 60x84 ft arena. I either use what I have or training is put on hold until I a)find a new barn with trail access/bigger arenas or b)buy truck/trailer. Both options suck- I love my barn, and there just ain't no $ for a truck and trailer.

So...advancing Cassie in the arena it is. Time for the big girl pants!

I admit- I am terrified of teaching horses to canter in small spaces. It freaks me out. Yes, in general, I do like arena riding. But when it comes to teaching the canter- get me out of there! I've seen horses fall, I've been on falling horses- its just disasterous. I don't get those who can ride a canter in a 50ft round pen. I just see wreck after wreck.

So here I am faced with stalling Cassie's progress because of my fear, vs sucking it up and getting on with the canter.

So I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it.

At first, I really wasn't afraid. My plan was simple. I was just going to ride her forward at super trot, until she wanted to pick up the canter. Easy enough, right? Mind you, her cue to canter while free longeing is a kiss noise.

So she was doing just fine at super trot, but not quite getting to where she'd want to fall into a canter. So my courage took a boost and I no longer felt fear. I decided to push. Kiss noise, a little leg pressure. Any time she spurted even more forward, I praised her.

A few goes of this, I started getting a snooty mare- ears back, wanting to turn and bite my leg. I ignored her, and kept going, praising when she did right. And finally, she took her first couple of strides. And then a buck. The mare can stop on a dime, this I am now certain, LOL.

So we go again. And again. Each time snooty mare piss face, each time a buck or 3, with a little canter stride here and there.

Its funny, the more she bucked, the braver I got- maybe more stubborn- I wasn't going to let her win this game. I was also high on adrenaline.

And then finally she bucked quite athletically, sending my saddle sideways on her body. But I am still vertical on her.. So I'm sitting on the left panel of my saddle, LOL.

She's obviously scared. I try to get the saddle back into upright position, freaks her out more, so I freed my feet and jumped off to the right, thinking it would be better to just fix the saddle from the ground.

She was obviously shaken up. No biggie. I fixed the saddle, sent her around free longeing so i could gradually re-tighten the girth. She was cantering fine without a rider. And as she's rounding each lap, I realize my whole body has taken to quivering- the adrenaline wearing off and my body is going "wtf did you just do?" LOL

I shake it off knowing I had to get back on. There was no staying out of that saddle.

I got back on, and let her walk around- she was no longer scared. I got her into trotting again, and going forward with my leg. But at that point, I wasn't comfortable attempting this canter business- it was going downhill fast. Who knows what the next buck would bring, and I wasn't so sure I still had feeling in my legs, LOL.

So now, hours later, I'm sitting here recounting our adventure. Was I wrong to try to ask her to canter in there? I know she was struggling to figure it out with a rider on her back- the added weight was a challenge for her. The arena is small- its almost a constant circle with no straight lines.

What shoud I have done? But more importantly, what the hell do I do now? The dressage girl in me says forget canter in the school (I hear my late instructor yelling at me from the heavens) until she's better balanced- in fact, just work on that- balance. If you want to canter, wait until you get her out of the arena.

But the impatient person I am today says that i should push her to do it. I can't let her get away with this. I can't let myself get away with this- I was being so brave, so fearless. And now I just managed to remind myself as to WHY I had the fear to begin with.

I do not believe she was intentionally trying to eject me. By all accounts, the bucks were really mild, and she was perfectly fine at walk/trot and everything else. I was causing her discomfort that she couldn't manage to see through, and was telling me so.

SO- what the heck do i do? do i get back in that saddle tomorrow and make her do it, even if she bucks like a bronc and makes my legs quiver? or do i take about 100 steps backwards and forget canter in the arena until we can get more cantering under our belts outside of one?

eek.

[rachel]

Thats a hard one.... I wish I had input but I myself have become very cautious when it come to pushing horses beyond their comfort and my comfort. After my mishap with Cabo only a couple years ago, I have rethunk my eager go get em attitude I had before my "life altering ride". I say go with your gut and you will do both of you good in the long run. Cassie knows your fears and where you feel comfortable with her, where Jon showed her no fear of anything and she trusted him. Its not that she doesnt trust you, I know she does, its that she doesnt want to disappoint or hurt you. I am having to face the fact that I am getting on a horse hopefully next week that has had a year off, I was the one who broke him to ride almost 3 years ago and know him and his attitude, but now that I have a second life to worry about everything has changed. Doesnt matter what I know or how I train its still there in the back of my head. But my trust in what I had taught this horse and his laid back attitude shows me that he trust me enough to not kill me so far. I keep going with my gut when working with him, do the same when working with Cassie. It all will work out soon..... YOU CAN DO IT!!!

[Allyson]

Well, after having so much fun riding a CSRDT horse today, a total confidence builder, I decided to get my arse to the barn to work b*tch mare.

I wasn't sure if i'd ask her to canter or not- just wanted to get on and ride. and so we did. she was pretty good- a little more sensitive to my leg even when i wasn't asking anything of her- that's new and not necessarily good.

whatever, let her deal with it, and as soon as she was relaxed and also moving forward sans attitude when i did put pressure on her, i called it good.

The good news is that she was really better balanced over all today- even just trotting around. it was much easier to stay with her, and she just felt better over all.

So i guess i just have to keep at it and we'll figure it out. Hopefully before one of us gets hurt!

[rachel]

Good to hear!!! Riding other horses is a perfect confidence builder and also makes you a much better rider over all. hehe I got my new/used saddle yesterday so now I can work on getting the gelding in training with me back under saddle and maybe even work with my Ally some. I got a big boost of confidence somehow from somewhere I dont know and want to get on her and see what she does. Lets hope she doesnt have any attitude or she may have to meet the human Ally! lol