Minnie is a mixed bag, I mean nag, or something

[quietann]

Minnie and I were both in "moods" today; I was PMSing and she just wasn't keen about being ridden. She was snatching the bit a lot, jigging, tossing her head etc. Any effort towards collection was met with all of the above on her part. (She also spooked when a bunch of pigeons flew down from the rafters right for her head, but I can't blame her! And it was a standard Minnie spook -- jump sideways a few feet and then not be sure why she was scared to begin with!)

So I backed off. Used loooooong reins and just let her walk around for a bit, halted, made the reins a little shorter before walking off again, lather rinse repeat. And by G-d, it worked! We ended up with a few nice trots, a canter that nearly became a hand gallop, easy transitions downward (!!!) and upward, etc.

When we'd worn ourselves out, the good mare got untacked and got a nice spray with the hose, and went back to her house.

Oh -- also, up until today, goddessfarmer has always held Minnie for me when I mounted, because she tends to move off too soon. Today, without telling me, goddessfarmer just stood to one side and didn't touch Minnie's reins, and she was *fine*. She did take 3 or 4 steps but halted as soon as I asked for it. Good girl!

On Tuesday, if everything works out, goddessfarmer is probably going to take me to meet the horse that will probably be her next eventer. He's a sweet 17 hand 9 year old Warmblood gelding; he needs a little work but has no big "issues" and should be ready for Novice in the spring... this all assumes he passes the vet check. The anticipation is killing her!

Comments

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

>He's a sweet 17 hand

Long way down!

[quietann.livejournal.com]

indeed. Wayyyy too big for me, but J is a "Big Girl" as she puts it (though the strongest so-called fat woman I have ever met...) and she'll be quite happy on such a big horse. I am just boggling at the idea that he's 8 inches taller at the withers than Minnie, who seems quite big enough to me.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Mine's a 15-hander, too. I like the size very much...used to ride the big ones, but can't imagine going back (or up). If nothing else, I'm nowhere near limber enough to mount one from the ground. :-p

He sounds neat, though! And it's good there are tall horses for those that need 'em.

[goddessfarmer.livejournal.com]

WOW! you did all that without me noticing... I must have been very focused on what I was doing. And, as I've said, you have improved a lot over this summer. Time for jumps for you, I think.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

I think you were really concentrating on Trumpie. You just went and went and went, and you looked so good!

But did you see how bad Minnie was being about halfway through? She *would not* hold her head up and kept snatching the reins, and we were just struggling. If I got her head up she started tossing it and jigging. So I just thought I'd try an experiment, because we were both getting sooooo frustrated and I do not like fighting with her, because she really is a sweet girl. It was a way of backing off and starting over without letting her "win." She was not perfect after that, but she was *much* better.

I certainly wouldn't mind a few jumps :)

[harimad.livejournal.com]

As Miles says, use your strong points against the horse's weak ones. Nice thinking on your part.