Finally, a bit of sunshine in the northwest! For a full week, at that. Can you believe it?
I had told myself that once Red was gone I'd spend more time with Tika, but several days worth of decent weather and had I done anything with my fire breathing red head? Nope. So yesterday I decided I'd just better make the effort, and I drug the saddle out and plunked it atop her back. What a good girl she is...never any regression despite her almost constant vacation time. She stood right there and let me cinch it onto her back without so much as batting an eye.
I have a confession. I'm a coward. There sat the chair, which doubles as a mounting block, inside the paddock. I'd closed off a stall and the space we stood in was a mere 12'x20'; not much space to get wild. But did I climb on? Nope.
Oh, I bounced up and down in the stirrup a bit, and I stood on the chair and leaned over that saddle, but when it came right down to it, I wanted an anchor in case Tika had a momentary lapse of judgment while I was up there.
And that was that. Except it wasn't. I pulled the saddle off and looked longingly at her back. Well? Okay, might as well get on with it. I led her back to the chair, climbed up onto it and swung my leg over her bareback. And there we stood, not unlike the many other times I'd swung my leg over her while at the riding club.
But this time was different, because Tika decided to shift her weight while I was up there. And then? Then she took a step backward...and paused. I rubbed her neck, reassuring her, wondering what she was thinking about the weight of me while she moved. I picked up on the reins and asked her to take another step back, and she did. And another.
I asked her to bend her nose to the left, then the right, after which she volunteered a few more backward steps. At that point I pulled her nose back to the left and talked her into moving a front foot in the direction of my rein. Then another front foot followed, and soon? Soon I'd sat upon my monster as she made a 360 turn with me upon her back.
And me? I called it good and slipped back to the ground...at least physically. Mentally? Still walking on air.
I had told myself that once Red was gone I'd spend more time with Tika, but several days worth of decent weather and had I done anything with my fire breathing red head? Nope. So yesterday I decided I'd just better make the effort, and I drug the saddle out and plunked it atop her back. What a good girl she is...never any regression despite her almost constant vacation time. She stood right there and let me cinch it onto her back without so much as batting an eye.
I have a confession. I'm a coward. There sat the chair, which doubles as a mounting block, inside the paddock. I'd closed off a stall and the space we stood in was a mere 12'x20'; not much space to get wild. But did I climb on? Nope.
Oh, I bounced up and down in the stirrup a bit, and I stood on the chair and leaned over that saddle, but when it came right down to it, I wanted an anchor in case Tika had a momentary lapse of judgment while I was up there.
And that was that. Except it wasn't. I pulled the saddle off and looked longingly at her back. Well? Okay, might as well get on with it. I led her back to the chair, climbed up onto it and swung my leg over her bareback. And there we stood, not unlike the many other times I'd swung my leg over her while at the riding club.
But this time was different, because Tika decided to shift her weight while I was up there. And then? Then she took a step backward...and paused. I rubbed her neck, reassuring her, wondering what she was thinking about the weight of me while she moved. I picked up on the reins and asked her to take another step back, and she did. And another.
I asked her to bend her nose to the left, then the right, after which she volunteered a few more backward steps. At that point I pulled her nose back to the left and talked her into moving a front foot in the direction of my rein. Then another front foot followed, and soon? Soon I'd sat upon my monster as she made a 360 turn with me upon her back.
And me? I called it good and slipped back to the ground...at least physically. Mentally? Still walking on air.
10 comments:
Way to go Tracey and Tika!!!!!
Fabulous and not such a chicken after all!!!
Allright!I'm grinnin' for you too!Can't wait until I can do that with Chickory!
I'm postponing my trip for a little while, can't get away yet until all the pups are gone. My sister that lived in Abbotsford is moving here next week, so that changes my plans a little too. I'll keep you in the loop!
This post makes me SMILE, because I did the same thing with my 2 year old this year. I climbed on witout the saddle, and then did it over and over again. I now have a young horse that will accept a rider with or without a saddle, and I'm loving it!
Oh, this is so great to read about. I'm really happy for you. It's such a treat to hear about and learn from your training process with all the horses, but Tika has been particularly interesting and enjoyable to hear about. Hopefully this summer will be a very productive time for the two of you. Plus, with Darling out of school you'll have an extra hand to help you out!
woo hoo!! How exciting!!
Very cool - you're not a chicken, just careful and there's nothing wrong with that!
Nothing wrong with being careful. As Lyle Lovett once said in song: "One bad move can turn your world upside-down."
I'd have been calling it good, too!
yaaa nthats so cool! And not a chicken at all Id say!
Awww, that's the best feeling!!! I bet you're walking on the clouds tonight :) Thanks for sharing it with us :)
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