Really B?

I guess the first event of note is my latest tumble off my pony. Yes, again. I'm making up for a good four years of not falling off...I'm due. Last Thursday, I thought I'd try riding B without longeing him first. I've been gradually longeing him less and less and I haven't had a problem so why not right? Famous last words. The last time I rode B without longeing him first was at least eight or so months ago and it was the first time I fell of my munchkin. I took B into the arena, lined him up beside the mounting block and stepped into the saddle. We started walking and I thought to myself, what a nice forward walk. Red flag! Red flag! Ya, B was just picking up steam for his rodeo episode. He was on a long rein down to the buckle so it was over before it even started. The bucks were at least slower and having fallen off him the same way three times before I had lots of time to think. I literally thought, do I A) try to ride this through and possibly get thrown into the wall, which by the way was coming closer and closer, or, B) do I bail? Plan B it is. I tried to bail on about the third buck but he jumped toward the wall: Abort! Abort! The next buck I did my best to wait till his feet were on the ground to roll off. I landed on my butt and hopped back up to stop the mayhem. His eyes were as big as saucers. My pony was wiggin out. I stopped the mayhem but he was definitely scared. Fine. Back to the longe line. 

What did I learn from this episode? Ya, ya, ya, longe before I ride, but what I really became aware of was B's girthyness. B holds his breath on the cross ties when I do up his girth. Not in a I'm a 20 year-old school horse and I know better way, but as in a oh my god, oh my god, oh my god kind of way. I can barely get the girth up to the third hole on the cross ties and it goes up to six once he's worked. I think when I got on, he was still holding his breath, so the saddle felt übertight. This added with me on top equalled panic zone. Meh. We're just going to take it easy on the non-longeing thing, eventually weaning him off by walking him around a lot and moving the saddle on his back first. I haven't tried it yet, my butt needs time heal. Good news is I only had a bruise on my upper thigh and knee, but other than that I was no worse for wear. Whew!

I rode the next day and he still had the I'm scared look in his eye so we took it easy. By Friday we were out in the open field walk, trotting and cantering. I had my lesson on Monday and he was a good little solider. With youngsters I'm learning that you have to relish in the good and stomach the bad...and as my coach says, it doesn't hurt if you bounce well either.