The Time I Bit The Dust, Or Why I Worry About Letting Miles Down

When I adopted Miles from New Vocations, they told me he was fine in the arena, but what he really enjoyed were jaunts around the farm, and apparently he even walked down to their paved road, which is very quiet, for a nice ride. He just really, really loved getting out of the arena. Anna Ford rode him for me when I went to see Miles at their facility in Ohio, and while she didn't demonstrate his skills outside the arena, their ring is set up in such a way that there is a sand/working arena, as well as a grassy area attached in the same enclosure. Man, that facility is gorgeous.

Anyway, Miles clearly demonstrated a difference in the two areas. In the sandy area, his walk was a bit sluggish, his trot and canter a little tense, but as soon as she took him onto the grass he extended that stride of his into a beautiful free walk. We talked a bit and she told me this was his "happy walk", and he is most interested and "alive" under saddle outside the confines of a sand ring.

Therein lies my dilemma. I love love love this horse, and want him to be a happy boy. I honestly don't believe he is necessarily unhappy in our work currently-as mentioned earlier though, lately his natural inclination is not so forward:) There is no tail swishing, balking or any behavior I would consider problematic-he's just happy to jog and lope along if I let him. Luckily, one of the things I love about him is that when I do ask him to go forward, he will, with no snottiness.

When I take him out of the arena though...yeah, I have to admit he is a happy boy. He marches right along, just like I saw him do with Anna. I took him maybe 200 yards down a trail by himself a couple times, and he was great. I've not yet had the opportunity to take him out on a real trail ride, because I refuse to do that with just the two of us on our first time, though I'm sure we will have the opportunity to go out with someone's steddy-eddy trail horse this summer, hopefully soon. I should really be proactive and arrange it.

Blah blah blah...so the real dilemma is that I've fallen off Miles once, and of course it was outside the arena. It was March, before we had started cantering, and I was just starting him into "real" work, so I probably shouldn't have been doing ANYTHING outside the ring at all since we were still getting to know each other under saddle. It was a silly, stupid thing really.

We were just walking outside the arena (in a corner that, for some reason, Ebony never loved either), and there were some parked horse trailers and brush maybe 50 feet away (I'm horrid with distances). Anyway, he stopped. He didn't feel nervous to me at all, so I let him. He apparently saw or heard something and gave the classic sideways TB spook. Now, there were no witnesses, and y'all know how fast these things FEEL at the time, so all I can tell you is that spook put me totally off balance without either one or both stirrups (can't remember now). He was cantering/galloping (remember, this was before we had done more than walk/trot!) and he wanted to get out of there; I remember trying to do a half-assed one rein stop. At this point, I *think* I'm sort of half on/half off. I'm DEFINITELY telling him "whoaaaaa, whoaaaa" though I know my voice is pretty shaky. I'm thinking to myself "don't pull back on both reins, don't pull back on both reins", so I know I did that right. Sigh, one thing right.

If he had stopped , we would've been fine. However, every time he would slow a bit (I think he may have even trotted in there), my being off-balance freaked him out all over again and he would again adopt the "get me the hell outta here" mentality and start cantering/galloping-my no doubt poorly executed one rein stop was at least keeping him in the general area, which looking back on it was exactly the place he didn't want to be and maybe I should have just let him canter away like he wanted! I admit though, his canter/gallop scared me and all I wanted him to do was slooooooow down. Ebony and I had really struggled with our canter also, so I hadn't ridden a real canter in years at this point.

A fitter, stronger, more confident at-this-whole-cantering-on-my-horse Sarah probably would have stayed on. A Miles who actually listened to the word WHOA (no matter how shaky it may have sounded!) would have definitely prevented a fall. As it was, after approximately 5 or 10 seconds of this nonsense, I of course bit the dust. Thankfully, I wasn't seriously hurt, but falling off a 16.2 cantering (galloping?) thoroughbred onto hard ground doesn't leave you totally unscathed either.

Whatever, I was definitely sore (and holy hell do I still need to see a chiropractor at some point), but I got back on that little shit (I'm channeling my feelings at the time, of course;) and worked his ass in the ring, and then rode him out to that same area and walked back and forth a couple times. I got off, cooled him, and put him outside, then went home and proceeded to take some Motrin with more wine than I care to admit. Hey, it worked.

(Annoying Helmet Plug-I most definitely hit my head on the ground when I fell, and it bounced. My helmet didn't crack-though I know I need to replace it anyway. It's still the most important piece of equipment I'll ever own, and I won't get on a horse ever, ever again without one. I will never judge other people for how they choose to ride, but I hope more and more people who ride without one realize how easy it is for something bad to happen, and how important every single person is to SOMEONE else. End plug!)

So how is this all relevant now? I admit I've only gone past the scene of the crime on Miles once,
maybe twice, and I was less than super relaxed. I really, really want to trust him outside the arena, and I'm getting better, but I don't know that I still have the carefree attitude I had before he pulled his Hot Move. I hope to some day. I WILL some day.

Also, he's an OTTB-I really, really, REALLY want to canter him down a trail, or even just out in the grassy fields that surround our barn. And I WILL, no matter what, someday. I'm just...less than gung-ho about it right now, since our first experience cantering outside the safe confines of a ring was unexpected and kind of a disaster.

I know I'm a stronger rider than when we had this incident, and I think Miles might actually listen to me if I said WHOA now, no matter how shaky my voice is or how off balance I might be:) In fact, I'm pretty confident I wasn't forceful enough with my one rein stop, and that won't happen again, I hope. We have practiced both this and obeying voice commands since then. I have to say though, if I hadn't learned that skill, and if I hadn't had such great instruction from my last trainer who impressed upon me that pulling back on both reins in emergencies can escalate a bad situation into a horrible one, well, let's just say there are worse things than falling off the side of your horse as they gallop away (like rearing, still one of my greatest fears).

Sooooooo, this ridiculously long rambling post is really just me trying to work through a few issues. Am I being fair to Miles by keeping our work focused in the arena thus far? I do try to get him out every week or so, but I honestly don't trust him enough to do it much more than that, and we don't go far. I think, after our silly show next week, I'm going to make this our next goal-even if I can't get a trail partner, I can still take him around the farm and down the trail for a few hundred yards, especially with his new shoez! I can't wait to feel his power as we gallop down the trail-I don't think I'll have to keep him forward then:)

It will happen. We have so much time, all the time in the world, really. If you want to know an embarrassing secret, one of my favorite phrases to whisper to Miles is "Be patient with me. I will be patient with you". We are partners, fumbling our way through each others' strengths, neuroses, passions and weaknesses, one ride at a time.

Fresh Air Fund

Re-posting from The Equinest~

This seems like SUCH a great organization. I honestly don't know where I'd be in my life if I didn't have the opportunity to be around horses, stables, barn cats...fields and forests, all of it. We lived in the city but I was fortunate enough to have parents who dutifully took me back and forth to the barn. Of course there are parents for whom this is impossible for a whole host of reasons, so I think something like this could really save a kid's life. Watch the video at the link if you can.

I wish we had land to host a child. Their smiles are absolutely beautiful.

Update: That'll learn me to scan websites. Turns out Michigan isn't one of the host states (yet they have host families in Ontario??), and they only work with kids from NYC. Still, I think they're great, and I hope they expand to other areas of the Country some day!

FINALLY!! A Beautiful Day!

I cannot WAIT to get out of this here office and get outside to play with my pony. It's so absolutely gorgeous outside, I want to RIDE. It's actually kind of exciting to have a show to work towards...July 7th, next Wednesday, we shall make our debut, show clothes or no show clothes (hint-it will be no show clothes).

I never thought I'd actually enter a walk/trot class again after I turned oh, let's see, maybe 10 years old, but I'm not feeling as silly about it as I thought I might. For one thing, our right lead is still SO hit or miss. I've also never actually cantered him in a ring with other horses who are also cantering...hmmm, wonder what that would look like to him? I'm sure no racing memories would be inspired by this scenario! In addition, we've not picked up the canter from a walk yet, though I'm eager to try this and see if it doesn't improve our transitions or shoot them all to hell. Anyway, 3 good reasons (and believe me, there's more!) to play it safe at our first show.

So, yay! I'm already picking out saddle pad/shirt combinations. I'm thinking either a teal or light blue ensemble-he looks smashing in either. Who says western people have all the fun? I'm still not sure on white polos or no polos. This show's gone rouge, I'm so confused! There are no rules! There are no limits!

Ugh, I've always sucked at fashion, and horse show fashion is obviously no different. For now, I'm going to count the minutes until I can blast out of here and get to the barn, to ride in what looks to be 75 degrees and sunny weather. Not a bad Monday in store, all in all, not bad at all.

Removing a Fly Mask in (Several) Easy Steps!

This blog is brought to you by Amanda, my friend at the barn who owns 3 horses and realllllly needs to start her own:) She took these hilarious pictures today after I left the show, and I asked Miles to add his own commentary. Since he seems to be such an expert. Jerk.

Miles here! Gawd, do I hate these funky masks my girl always makes me wear. Summer Time is Naked Time, amirite? It's kind of a pain to get them off, but once you're successful your owner is sure to blame it on your pasture mate anyway. As long as you make doe eyes at her and occasionally act like you can stand her presence, she'll be putty in your hands. So, the masks. How ridiculous is this thing anyway?

I look like a tool! This cannot stand. I am a regal thoroughbred who is to be admired at all times!

The key is getting the ears off first-unfortunately, this part is top secret. However, get yourself that far, get yourself on the ground, and follow these easy steps.

This is my favorite part, as success is clearly eminent. It's hard not to smile. It's all roses from here on out.

Told you!!! The key now is to get up, up, up, before anyone sees you!

Stomp on the damn thing for good measure, then go go go, what are you waiting for?!?!

Return to pasture mate, resume grazing, and wait for the admiring looks to come your way again.

Sarah back in. All I have to say is he better not complain when I start slathering fly repellent ointment around his eyes and ears from now on. Silly vain thoroughbred.

Show Time!

Haha, of course not for me! The dressage show my barn is putting on is tomorrow-I'll be there bright and early to do the announcing for the morning. Ugh, I hope I don't blow it. Originally I was going to scribe in the afternoon but something came up. Still, I'm looking forward to it. You never know, maaaaaaaybe next year I won't be volunteering because I'll be riding. Maaaaaaaaybe.

I hope to have enough time after I'm done announcing to take Miles out to see the sights. If he has his wits about him I'd love to hop on and ride him for a bit before I have to leave.

I ran out to the barn at lunch today to feed him his beet pulp and clean him off a bit before tomorrow (WHY did I bother with the bath less than two days ago?). He and LaShore have now moved to the field next to their pasture (which is VERY grazed down) during the day, and this field has LOTS more grass , so I'm super happy about that and hope that will help cover those ribs of his even more. It's probably just a temporary situation, but I feel much better knowing he's got access to grass all day. Poor LaShore is a founder risk, so we have to watch him (and he's the reason they couldn't be out on rich grass before now), but honestly it's a small price to pay because those two get along SO well. After what happened with Ebony (being kicked) and Cody, another horse at the barn that went seriously lame after being kicked by a herd mate, having my boy out 24/7 with a horse that he can play with and yet I trust not to hurt him (and vice versa!) is invaluable.

Back to this afternoon-even with all that yummy grass he was eating at the far end of the field, as soon as he saw me he ran down to the gate, and if horses could smile I'm quite sure he would have been. I'm so, so lucky to have him-he made it almost impossible to go back to work;) He definitely makes it impossible for me not to grin like an idiot and laugh out loud at this horse I love so, so much.

Update: Whew, I am pooped! Super fun time this morning though, and I only announced the wrong entry once and quickly corrected it! Miles was a superstar-I had very little time so I dragged him out of the field, brushed him, threw the tack on him and led him into the chaos. He was looky and a bit tense under me, but other than that was happy to take in the sights and sounds without overreacting. I think we might have to enter our first show in July after all-gulp.

Splish Splash

Miles reluctantly had a bath! Finally. Man, the grime that develops...I could make him superficially shiny before, but he was never CLEAN like he was tonight! So pretty. He was a very good boy-obviously non too thrilled, but no shenanigans-just don't you point that hose at his head! Here are some crappy cell phone pictures.

Side profile-I don't know if I'll ever get those ribs to go away. Still, he's actually in great weight-and from the looks of that butt you would think I actually had him in work! Or mayhaps the shoulder-ins are paying off?

Shiny! You almost can't tell his head never touched water. Though I did make his noggin suffer through a damp toweling-off, where he proceeded to treat said towel like a scratching post.

Flexies! Unasked for, but still flexies!

Yeah. Great. So....are we going to go eat that grass behind me or.....? Otherwise Ima take a snooze, if it's all the same to you.

Yes, precious, just as soon as I can get a decent picture of you and me (well, let's face it, mostly me, since you are shiny and beautiful and I am gross and sweaty). Just be happy I didn't embarrass you further by kissing you...I thought about it. I may or may not have done it and there may or may not be photographic evidence-just be a good boy and it will never see the light of day. Probably.

Lazy Boy

Ugh, it's so hard to motivate myself to motivate Miles to work hard in this stupid humidity. It's like the tropics here, except, you know, without the oceans or beaches or beautiful views. Sigh.

So, he's been quite lazy lately, but I have to say I can't complain. Yes, I know we should be working more forward, create that impulsion, yadda yadda yadda. Why can't we just jog and lope along like a western pair out on the range? We're so good at it lately, maybe it's our niche! Instead I've been focusing on doing lateral work, shoulder-ins, leg yields, whatever. My favorite exercise right now is "open and close the arena gate on horseback". Yes, the excitement never ends around here!

Really, this is a nice problem to have, and I'll take it. I know when (if?) this weather ever breaks we will get our forward on...if he doesn't, well, I will and he will have no choice but to come with. With so many people, both at the barn and out in bloggy world, that are struggling with lameness or illness with their horses I know how lucky I am every time I can put my foot in that stirrup. Miles and I are pulling for all of you! Slowly, of course. Very, very slowly.