And now our first road work.
I was very nervous of getting on Zip today and I left it too long. I should have got up and done him this morning and instead I waited until this afternoon. By then I was fizzing over :-( Anyway, I got togged up in my L plates and walked him a half mile down the hill and along the road. I found a bit of raised verge and went to get on and he walked off. I tried again and he walked off again but I got on this time. And he carried on walking - away from home. For a horse that a couple of weeks ago used to scream if he was separated from his mate, he showed an astonishing lack of concern that he was walking away from Jazz and home. In fact, he was not even keen to turn for home when I asked him to.
But all the time he was completely relaxed, in spite of the wind. He did a couple of spooks, exactly as you would expect any horse to do in the wind, which was quite strong. We did a little bit of trot. At the bottom of the hill I stopped him and got off and walked up with him. He really isn't strong enough yet to carry me up a 1 in 5 hill.
So I have completed exactly a week with Zippy behaving better than you could expect of a horse which has never shown any problems at all, never mind one which bucked me off. My nerves are ample excuse for him to get het up. He must be able to feel them. But he seems totally unconcerned. Thank goodness!
Jazz has had the day off because we took the 6 and 1/2 miles of the farm ride mostly at a canter yesterday, so he must be a bit tired. I will be riding them both tomorrow.
C
posted by cptrayes @ 4:01 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Keep that confidence building. Zip is more relaxed about things right now than you are. Chance loves going out on hacks too. Maybe all the change of scenery keeps that brain in content occupation.
Good thing you got off on the hill. That was a wise move. Russell threw out his stifle climbing one when he was young. I often regretted riding him up it.
jazz is tired? you're not? ....
Zip is going to be good. Maybe you should take some rescue remedy for your nerves before you get him? if only temporarily.....
Great news ..its a good sign he's not reacting to your nerves thats has to bode well for the future!:)
Strange how you dont feel these nerves with Jazz who isnt exactly a plod:):)
Your brain must have a block when you know a horse is 'unbroken'.Suppose it makes sense if you think about it the episodes trying to back Smartie have made your instinctive self preservation kick in good style!
The more good experiences you get with him the better and Im sure the nerves will start to disappear.
Had an amazing lesson Sunday Ryan is convinced with a bit more work we'll 'wipe the boards' doing some dressage comps.He did a MASSIVE buck,I thought I was off but managed to stay on,then did some work I didnt think either of us were capable of.Ryan thinks its great he's so fired up(not so sure I agree;0)and kept saying what a waste and he wished he'd got his hands on him a few years ago!
They are off competing at Punchestown?Ireland next week so no lessons for a week or 2.
Who would have thought it off a trotter!?!
Nicola
There isn't much of a decision to get off on the hill Jean, I can't take the credit. It's very clear that he can't carry me up it. In fact there are plenty of people who would say he is not mature enough to ride at all yet. But with the start we had I am not giving up now, and hope that 5 minutes a day can't harm him.
Me tired Claire? - no, Jazz did all the work :-)))) Rescue remedy is often recommended to me.I'll try it one day!
Wow, Nicola your news of Polo is amazing! I thought he looked great in your photos and if he now works properly too he must be superb.
The problem that I have with nerves now is that Smartie used to explode from absolutely no warning. So I can't quite believe that Zip is not going to do the same thing. So relaxed as he is, I am still "waiting for it". As you say, it says great things about him that he is not reacting to that, doesn't it? Meanwhile, I wait for a slight reduction in nerves each day. It's slow progress!
C.
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