I Want It All

I’m upping my game. I have to. The trail work requires more of Tumbleweed, and even me. Its like we were playing, but now we’re training. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still fun, but it’s also more methodical. 

So, this is how it’s going down:

1. He got too fat on pasture. He’s on a diet.

2. When he does a trail ride longer than two hours, he gets the next day off to rest.  

3. On days we aren’t riding trails, and he isn’t resting, we are doing pole work and riding for strength through collection and lots of transitions, either here at home, or the park.

4. Before each ride (or after) we’re doing Masterson Method work and side tail pulls. 

5. When we start our work, or go somewhere and unload, if he starts to look around and lose relaxation, he immediately gets a job. At no point now is he allowed to “takeover.” I have started following that like religion this week. Even if he steps to the side while I’m saddling, I stop and bring him back to where I set him. I found that I was giving him too much freedom and he was taking that as a lack of leadership. He has one job: do what I ask.

6. Lots of hill work, in hand and in saddle. If he acts up on a hill, we repeat the hill until he goes down with collection. 

7. Introducing new gaits on the trail so he doesn’t think we’re running for our lives when he gets asked to trot or lope. 

8. Daily supplements with the addition of Cosequin ASU.

9. Solo trail rides between rides with partners.

This has been the first week of the new prescription, and in some ways, he is already improving, though he isn’t too sure about some of it yet because it’s not his normal routine. He got worked up about the gait changes on the trail and he doesn’t like turning around and doing hills again. He doesn’t particularly like solo rides now either, but they’re good for his confidence. 

I thought all these things through carefully with an emphasis on his fitness and ability to use his WHOLE body. Trail rides require everything from us and it’s not fair to him to be unconditioned. At the same time, it is trail rides that provide the most conditioning, but since we can’t get out every day, he has to work on fitness in between. 

It has made me look forward to winter with dread because I do not want to take that time off. We’re going so good right now and I want it to continue, not have to start again. 

I feel like a drill sergeant, and Tumbleweed looks at me like, who are you and where did you hide my owner? But I see how close we are to the magic, and that little bit we have been missing is his complete surrender to my leadership. I left a little door open, not sure why, probably a hangover from thinking of him as a baby, but now I am shutting it. 90% isn’t good enough anymore. 

I want it all. 

(Hopefully, this post won’t be followed by another one about me getting bucked off! Haha)