Change of Plan

(This hill is steeper than it looks, but not as steep as many of the others we encounter.)

Well, we had an interesting day today doing the hill in front of the equestrian campground. (The Rocky Horror Hill is for another day). Tweed played all his “best of” hits for my trainer to see: head tossing, speeding up going downhill while head tossing, and even trying to buck going up because I wouldn’t let him canter. 

She was able to compare that behavior to his bushwhacking (confident & tuned in, he’s a bushwhacking pro) and smaller hills (easy to control his speed and calm, no problemo). 

She agreed with my 3 areas of focus: exposure, respect, and fitness, and she was able to determine that this issue is almost entirely fitness related, which seems to be building his anxiety (and mine).

So, what to do. 

More hills and more extended collection work in the arena to build strength and body confidence. As I ride the trails, it’s fine to zig zag, choose better paths down, or even get off and walk him down (until he builds up fitness and confidence). 

She does not think I should stop him on hills. She’d rather that I turn him around and go back up when he starts head tossing on the descent. We had a long discussion about why, but it comes down to balance and confidence. 

Next week she’s going to work with me on a program we can use all winter to keep building his strength. 

For now, until the equestrian park closes, lots of hills he can do well to build up his strength and confidence, and a continuation of the bushwhacking (which he seems to love), and trail exposure. 

Work from his strengths, as he is a horse who seems do well with that focus. Honestly, they probably all do, and surprise, surprise, so do humans.