Wow, I had the kind of horse day I dream about. It was just a phenomenal day. Started out with an early rise for the endurance race my friend and I decided to enter. Awake at 6am, watching the clouds and checking weather.com. Endurance in the rain? Bring it on, Mother Nature!
It was about 45 degrees, perfect for energetic horses and long-riding! I decided to use Rain a couple weeks earlier since Z and I are about to tape our L3 Freestyle. Nothing messes up bridleless riding like a fast ride with adrenalin in the air. We'll get there, just not yet. Rain and I had done a few conditioning rides but not enough for a 25 mile race. Tammy, my riding bud, felt the same. We didn't want to ask our girls for 25 miles w/o prior and proper preparation, so the 15 mile was our only option. Perfect distance for the first race of the season!
Tammy's mare is a large Thoroughbred and she can be pretty right-brained. She was nervous and it was obvious. We got through registration and vet check and went back to tack up to go. I didn't have my english girth (CRAP!) so I rode in my western saddle. No big deal - it's heavier but Rain is a strong horse and the western displaces weight very nicely. I, of course, rode her in the rope hack - like always.
About 9:03, we headed off for our first loop. We would ride a loop, vet check, rest for an hour, then go back out for a 2nd loop. The first loop was great fun, but Tammy's horse was pretty excited. She was worried and up and jigging and using a lot of energy. Rain was calm and did a great job, as I expected. She had a good amount of energy and was willing to move out quite nicely, often cantering for good stretches.
Rain pulsed out at 52 at the 1/2 way and 52 again at the finish. That's pretty good considering I haven't ridden her very much at all and she's only somewhat conditioned. I found myself many times wishing I was riding Z with all her go and spunk! I love Rain, but I appreciate a more energetic horse.
It took longer than I expected to finish the race, but I was so glad we did it. It was a great day!
When I got home, I took a lesson with Kime. I had it set up that I'd lesson with Kime on Z right after the race. The weather was falling apart and by the end of the 3 hour lesson, it was raining on us. However, I had a fantastic lesson! I learned a ton of new things and it was all about Freestyle. We worked on squeezing over a jump, she helped me tweak my bridleless riding and my seat (open the inside leg in the turn instead of closing the outside leg), worked a ton on moving back w/o reins.
Kime said a lot of what she was doing was just tweaking and that felt great to hear! I've obviously had good sessions with Z where we've made positive changes and I'm so proud of what we've accomplished. We are ready to film!
Other noteworth things with Kime:
- butterfly reins for jumping, focus out and up
- controlloed catastrophe - someone on the ground doing scary things and then riding what your horse offers while using butterfly reins to keep the horse facing the catastrophe
- disengaging the hindquarters and taking backwards steps after each squeeze
- disengagement and then moving the fore and walking off with fluidity
- freestyle disengagement - picking up the reins, straight arm, then running your hand down to get your disengaging rein
- lots of jumping with fluidity - butt staying in the saddle
2 comments:
Hi Tia,
Enjoyed this post. Congrats to you and Rain on your endurance race!
Could you explain briefly what "disengagement" means in this context?
Thanks!
Alice
Hi there!
Disengagement is the when a horse turns the hind sharply enough that it causes one hind leg to actually cross over the other. This practice is used widely in the natural world and is extremely effective at stopping the "engine" of the horse - which is the hind end. It can be a vulnerable position for a horse and they have to be taught to respond to a disengagement request.
Hope all is well in Florida! Spring has sprung here in Colorado!
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