An ‘Aha’ Moment

I was curious how today’s ride would go after Thursday’s adventure. I have a lesson planned with my trainer in two days, and we were in contact about what happened last time. She has some ideas to work on it. Her advice for me today was to make sure I warmed him up in the arena first and had him tuned in and listening. (We haven’t done that for the last two rides).

I arrived early and got to it, and Tweed definitely had a little resistance which was quickly worked out. No big drama or anything, just asked him to do his transitions again until he was less pissy about them. 

My friend arrived with her horse, and we stood and talked with another friend, then went out to the obstacle course.  

The very beginning of the trail ride, the two horses were getting to know each other and Tweed was acting reactive for the first, maybe, 100’ of it. My friend’s horse saw a ribbon blowing on a post and reacted to it. Tweed checked it out, head high, then I petted his neck and he took a big breath and relaxed. I asked him to go past and take the lead, and he did, while the companion horse worked through it, then quickly joined us. 

Oddly enough, that small incident worked everything out, and they were both awesome. Tweed seemed to like that Obe, the other horse, had shown concern. Maybe it made him trust him more, like if that horse is okay, the world must be okay.  Who knows. But he had zero problem following him everywhere. 

On our first ride, Tweed was scared of this building below. 

Yet, on this ride, he didn’t seem to care one bit. As you can see, his ears are where they should be, one on me and one on the thing. 

We expanded the trails this time and did more riding along the river, but it was woven into easier trail work. We’d be on the river for awhile, then cut in to the interior, then back out. 

We ended back up at the same spot we were at last week and took another photo. 

On the way back, down a hill, he got to tossing his head and speeding up.  My friend commented that it looked more like barn sour behavior. I think she’s right, and as we talked about it, we realized he thought he was on his way back to the trailer last Thursday when we had that other incident. (I ended up taking him another way that day and not back home).

It was an aha moment for me. 

While there’s no doubt balance factors in, going home is at play, too, and that’s a whole different ballgame, one I have had to work through with every horse I’ve had. 

He didn’t do that badly, but my friend could see how that needs to be worked out before we try some of the really difficult, steep and narrow trails. We can’t have him trying to take the reins and run home. He has to learn the lesson that acting right gets him home and acting out gets him more work and further from home. 

All part of the green horse experience, but overall, I couldn’t be happier with the horse I rode today. We were a little over two hours out, and he was a pure pleasure going over logs, up and down hills, past scary stumps, and along the drop offs to the river. He was relaxed and tuned in. 

We’re making progress fast.