So lately, the topic of continuing Chase's training in the riding department has been on my mind. This is a pretty epic topic for me. Honestly, one of my favorite daydreams nowadays is where I'm taking him out on a hack, galloping through an open field in a hackamore (in a year or two). I love that image, and I'm excited to experience it for real. Sure, I could do it with any horse, but Chase is really special to me, so I really want to take HIM out on a hack. Eventually.
We have indeed been playing around with the idea of starting the riding for the past few months-here and there, ten to twenty minutes at a time. Farrah's even helped us trot, which really meant a lot to me and put a smile on my face for weeks. With the help of the amazing Farrah, we trotted several times together. However, when Chase started to really trot-it put into my perspective just how much of a superhorse he really is. He is far, far more flexible in his back than ANY horse I've ridden. and he USES it a lot. And the way he moves-though it doesn't look it from the ground-he really, really propels himself off the ground powerfully. It's hard to explain-but there's a lot of movement, and nearly no tension in his body at all. Bring me in, and I ALWAYS have tension in my body. The result, even when I started to move more with him, was me feeling like a ragdoll on his back, and even from my perch on his back I could see how uncomfortable carrying me was-with the way his ears laid back and how he started tossing his head.
Farrah's explanation for this was the fact that riding was a very dominant activity, and so we had to remind him that he liked this riding game. That is probably part of it-but something was wrong. True, he did start trotting more, responding faster when Farrah and I played this game-where she held the lead rope and started walking faster until he trotted, while I signaled, then stopped and gave him a treat. But...his expression just wasn't right while he was trotting. I couldn't see much, but I could see his ears were held tightly, held back towards me at an angle he uses when he's not happy with something. Then he stopped offering me his back when I'd get up on the pedestal-I'd have to ask for it. It might seem like it's not a big thing, but it's huge. Because the main part is that I want him to enjoy being ridden as much as I will enjoy riding him. Especially since he's being started-I want it to be as gentle for him as possible. And I really, really think the problem lies in my riding. That nice, smooth as glass, floating sensation you get when you're really in tune with a horse and moving with them while riding has not happened with Chase-quite the opposite. And I know its because I'm not yet flexible enough, or perhaps even fit enough, to really go with his movements smoothly.
Anyways, its gotten to the point where he's started to reject any suggestion to go forward. He tosses his head, and threatens to buck. Honestly, its nerve-wracking. I don't know whether its dominance or the fact he may associate riding with constant discomfort. Maybe a little bit of both. I don't see either equation working out well. If it's discomfort, he could very well buck should I push him, and then go into flight from fear mode whether or not I stay on from the initial buck. If it's dominance, he could buck, or he could do what he does every so often on the ground-play the 'What will you do if I do this?' game. I don't know if I'd be able to sit to that-he's very creative (and I would have to sit on him and keep giving him the same answer no matter what he did). That also could turn into a flight from fear mode disaster.
So anyways, I'm stuck, and debating whether to just put riding Chase off until I'm a good enough rider to sit his movements better, and have enough savvy to know more strategies to use should something go wrong. I'll keep you guys updated. :) talk to you later.
No comments:
Post a Comment