Ginny, Day 3 -- catch-up blog!

I'm intending to ride Ginny this evening and I haven't written about our last ride yet. So before I get back into my Big Project for Work, I shall do so. Nice to see my priorities are straight.

Sunday went as so many Sundays do -- errands to run and things to do around the farm. And no great interest in cracking the whip and flying through the to-do list because, after all, it's SUNDAY. So it was probably 4-5 pm before we were back at the barn and ready to take a nap, er, NO! I mean RIDE!

I talked my friend into riding her young stallion (the Cute Spotted Stallion) first, because I use that time to do stretching exercises and let the Advil kick in. My friend incidentally had an awesome ride and trotted her boy for the first time (Ride 6 I think it was...). He is doing extremely well!

Ginny had been turned out all day on Saturday but still started her groundwork with a big squeal and toss of her long dramatic mane... so I let her run and buck for a little while. She's never been anything but cooperative and quiet (almost to a fault) under saddle but I don't see any reason to demand it of a wiggly young horse when a good run is all it takes.

A brief interruption for a picture of the Pony Princess.
No she did not win that ribbon. It was sent to me and her by a COTH friend. It will suffice until we have one of our own to display. Yes her bridle is pink, and yes there are little bitty jools adorning the bit ring. Hey, if you are nearly 50 and have a fat hony you call a princess, there are going to be props to go with it. I even have a little pink riding crop, but I can't find it. I think Ginny hid it.

Anyway, after the ya-ya was out of her system, I did a bit of groundwork and then mounted. She didn't stand as well as usual for mounting (remember she is being HELD so she shouldn't move at all, oh well) but I was able to lean over her and get my leg over when the opportunity arose.

Ouch. Very VERY stiff for this ride, and my knees were aching as soon as I got on. Only thing I can think of besides just random chance is that I was doing more upper body exercises during my pre-ride warm-up. I did that for a reason and it really did pan out, I'm happy to say! I'll just have to warm up LONGER so none of those pesky old body parts feel shunnnnned.

OK, so the big success. See, I've been having some directing issues with Ginny. My legs, especially at the beginning of a ride, are not really in a position to communicate with her. And she was trained with no real rein contact so I can't take up my usual rein length to direct her. So our path around the arena has been looking like a lot of overlapping pretzels. Between rides I remembered a good visualization from Centered Riding. Please be advised that this is not verbatim but my recollection of the exercise, and it's going to sound silly too. I have found it helpful in the past to pretend my boobs are headlights and I'm responsible for lighting the path I want the horse to take. As with the best/most effective of Sally Swift's imagery, just having that picture in my mind is all it took! Even with the wandering Ginny! No overt twisting or remembering to put this shoulder back and this one forward -- just light the path ahead of you. My friend saw the dramatic difference. We did serpentines and circles with, if not the "greatest of ease" at least a large measure of success and purpose.

I trotted her a little too, and I do mean a little (30 feet?). I am trying to get a post rhythm because I want to be kind and get off her back. However, at a trot she seems like a yacht on a quiet ocean... only the gentlest of rolling. I can NOT pick up posting without feeling like I'm the one doing the work. So next time I'll just try to sit lightly.

Next two mini-goals: a half hour or more in the saddle, and a walk around the property (yes, OUTDOORS!). Today it is pouring rain and chilly, so it will probably be the half hour ride. Let's see, it's 10:30 am... if I start stretching NOW... :)