Wooohooooo!
I don't know what's got into the pair of them, I really don't! I turned Jazz out this morning and what did he do but go for a whizz, closely followed by his little buddy, bucking and kicking all over the place. They rushed 40 metres in one direction, turned and rushed 40 metres back the other way. I was just thinking how on earth I was going to stop them when they did one more run, stopped with their heads and tails up, snorting, and then put their heads down to graze. I don't think Jazz has done himself any damage, and he didn't even cough. But he certainly looked HAPPY!
I rode Zip before I let them out because he has been a bit dominant and been misbehaving a bit lately, trying to get out of doing what he's told to do and testing whether he can defy me. I thought he should have a schooling session and remember who is boss around here.
He is developing his skills in the fine art of nosepokerie, which is obviously going to be his preferred evasion for a while. I held the rein and countered with the pushimout school of management. After just a minute or two he gave, and then very shortly after that he began to actively seek forward to the rein contact. Now I think I can honestly say that I've never really felt a horse look so actively for the rein before. Certainly not at that age. I figure it's a good sign, yes?
We did some work on not allowing our backside to try to overtake us, and on straight halts, which are a challenge to him. He normally takes a series of sideways steps to avoid the halt, and we end up about ten or fifeen feet to the left of where we meant to be. But he did one superb one, which we took as a point to stop at. We had done about 20-25 minutes, about half walk.
Anyway, considering what he was like when I took the tack off and let him go, it's a wonder we didn't have fireworks on the arena. He has such a puzzling character with completely conflicting behaviour on the ground versus ridden.
Talking of arenas, it was riding absolutely brilliantly, the best ever. Firm but giving. Completely perfect. Well, except for the fact that the cats seem to think that I built it to compete for the world record of the biggest cat litter tray in existence!
C
posted by cptrayes @ 5:36 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
but the cats are right, aren't they? no? that is always the problem when there's cats about ..
Biggest best cat litter tray in the world ^-^ you had me smile there. I am sure my two who loved it too LOL
It is funny about Zippy, because Linda used to be a REAL pain on the ground and much better under saddle.
They kind put a riding ethics in this WarmBlood LOL
It's my chair. No, it's MY chair.
I've lost that argument more times than I can count. That's the trouble with cats - they're just about untrainable. And a 40x20 gravel litter tray - irresistable!
I know what you mean about the Warmblood ethic Muriel. Both of mine just love to have me on their back. Tetley did too and he is 3/4 WB (1/2 Danish 1/4 Hanoverian)
C
Well, at least you know the horses are both feeling fine! *G* Good thing they decided to settle down on their own. I'm not sure I could quite picture you leaping in front of Jazz and saying, "Whoa!" Silly Boys.
As for the cats, yes, a riding arena is the world's biggest litter box. The bigger the arena, the bigger the box. It's a cat thing.
Used to have one at the barn that would climb up on the fence so I could give him a pony ride. Another one used to hide under the jumps and pounce out as the horse went by. I mean, what kind of cat aside from a lion or tiger would actually think it could pounce on a horse? A barn cat, that's what. *lol*
I had a picture at one point of me and Chevy clearing a large fence with a cat draped over the pole. We had some serious air over it as it was Chevy's favourite cat...
Stables cats certainly have big personalities don't they Jean - I used to have a friend who could only lunge her horse with Timothy the cat hanging onto the end of the lunge whip. That's after he had got off Silver's back, of course :-)
I'd love to have seen your photo Jen, have you lost it :-( ??
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