Thinking About Liberty

Way back in 2003 when I first started studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship, I wanted Liberty SO BADLY!! Watching Pat or his high level students play with horses at Liberty was like magic, show-casing the kind of connection with a horse I’d dreamed about before I reshaped my dreams to match the world I was living in. And so, as a novice Parelli student like so many novice Parelli students before and after me, I “needed” Liberty so much that I could hardly have repelled my horse more!

It took a little over four years of tough lessons before my Liberty started to take shape, and by 2009 Journey and I were really starting to get it together:



While this video shows us playing in an arena, we also practiced our Liberty in wide open fields… in fact, we had some of our best Liberty in the “back 40.” Still, what I like about this video is A) It’s all Liberty and B) Although we sometimes miscommunicate, never once in this session does she have any inkling to disconnect from me… not a chance. It’s not the world’s best Liberty, but I don’t think it’s too much to say it’s something pretty special Journey and I shared.

So… to bring things back to the present, I have had Finn about 3.5 years now and have made no deliberate effort to develop his Liberty. Recently I’ve been thinking about that. Asking myself why, and whether it’s something I’d like to change.

It’s not that I ever chose NOT to want Liberty anymore, but two factors contribute to my current lack of investment in it. First, I did at some point make the conscious decision that I REALLY wanted to improve my skills in the saddle. I had SO much fun and learned TONS with Journey on the ground, but upon reflection when I was moving forward with developing another horse, I realized I wanted to be as good and as confident on his back… and with time being a limited resource such as it is, I decided that when it comes down to it, I wanted to invest more effort in the saddle. Second, having “gotten it” with Journey, I just didn’t have such a desperate desire for it. Having since observed both poor Liberty and excellent work on a line, I had a new understanding for the fact that quality and connection don’t hinge on the presence or absence of the rope as much as one might think they do. Beginning Finn’s education with that perspective, I just figured his Liberty would be there when it was ready, presuming I developed him on a line with quality. And it has been.

Although I haven’t “developed” him at Liberty, I have taken the line off and seen what I have every now and again. This handful of brief Liberty sessions scattered throughout the years have all been successful, in the sense that I’ve never “lost” him at Liberty. (Actually, I did once. Totally dumb thing I did there.) I’ve also never really asked a whole lot of him, but I’ve asked more than most people would think to.

I’ve thought from the beginning that Finn would make a great Liberty horse. He has a natural desire to connect that sets him up for success, and an athletic flair to his movement that adds a little something to the effect. And though I haven’t made an effort to bring these things out, I HAVE made an effort not to diminish them. From the very beginning with him, I have prioritized that desire to connect over everything else when developing him on the ground. That’s a maturity of horsemanship I did NOT have when I started with Journey!

Anyway… lately I’ve been feeling like it might be time to put a little more conscious effort in on our Liberty. Why? Well, I miss it. On some level, I’ve always expected that having a connection with my horses at Liberty would be part of my horsemanship from now on. To be honest, if you’re handling a horse with genuine feel on a rope, you have some Liberty whether you choose to use it or not. Additionally, the mental challenge of Liberty is engaging to me, and I’d like to get back into it. Further, I wonder if there isn’t something really meaningful to be found for Finn and I in developing this aspect of our relationship… mostly something that might help him embrace that I am always and will always be his herd, no matter what else might be going on around us. This speaks to the partnership part of my overall vision. I believe Liberty will help us shape that us the way I’ve been dreaming of. And lastly, a friend of mine shared some notes about a Liberty exercise to play with, and it just sounded like fun, so I went out and did it!

The exercise is called “Find Your Herd” and addresses the most basic quality of Liberty… the horses desire to be with you. I’m not going to describe it in detail here -- at least not right now -- but I tried it with Finn last night at the barn and found his connection was already pretty strong. (I wasn’t surprised by this, but I did try not to expect it TOO much, in case I found it wasn’t as there as I thought it would be.) What I’d love to do is challenge it in a slightly more difficult environment, and I anticipate doing that this afternoon, as S and I are planning to play with it over in the arena at Washoe Lake.

I doubt we’ll do THIS today, but I’ve even been thinking about possibly playing it one day over at Washoe while S rides away on her horse. If my connection with Finn was strong enough to persist at Liberty, even while one of his best buddies rode off into the distance… well, I think that would mean BIG STUFF for our relationship as a whole.

So, here’s to the beginning of a new aspect of my relationship with Finn. I can’t wait to see where it leads.

Paying the Bills...

It has been two weeks and two days since my last post, which seems like FOREVER, and at the same time, how can it only have been 16 days? There is a reason for this... I have been away braiding almost continuously since that last post. 12 nights of braiding total and two far too brief two-night visits home in between. I actually have gotten one ride in on Finn each of those trips home, but I'm still having withdrawal symptoms!

Tonight is the last night, though, and our next show is in about four weeks, so I'll be making up for the time I missed! Except for the part where R and I are going on a impromptu road trip vacation next week... but after that!

You know, I thought I'd blog more while I was gone, about some of the more abstract thoughts I've been pondering about my horsemanship, but it is harder than I thought to get any motivation to do much of anything when you're working through the nights... Maybe next time.

The Week in Review

So far as riding goes, for me and Finn this week is done, and I'm calling it a success. When isn't it, really? But I was able to stick to the plan quite closely, which we all know doesn't always happen. Living in the land of sunshine helps.

It was SUPER windy the night I had R out to video, so things were a bit rougher around the edges than they might otherwise have been. Still, I learned a lot. For one, although my HQ/FQ turns have improved, they have a LONG way to go. In the FQ turn, Finn still isn't planting his outside hind for a pivot foot... and I can't tell that he isn't. So my feel needs work, and we need to keep working on it.

For another, although our soft feel has a long way to go, it is really developing nicely! I wanted to make sure I wasn't rewarding Finn for over-flexing, and after studying several minutes of video frame-by-frame, I am pleased to say I am happy with what I'm releasing for. Case in point:

If you look closely, you will see I have JUST let go of my reins in this photo... you can still see the coil falling out of my left hand. And I am happy with what Finn is offering - to my mind, his flexion here is very appropriate for his level of development. And doesn't he look adorable?!

Watching the video of us playing with the soft feel, in addition to other thoughts I've been thinking about, has made me more committed to the idea that I want to develop Finn's dressage primarily via Karen Rohlf's approach. An open mind, however, can see that Buck's concept of the soft feel, applied correctly, is not so different in many ways, so I don't feel like what we're practicing now has been counter-productive. I just think that adding in the Dressage, Naturally insight and approach will result in a horse more appropriately developed for my goals.

Another boon from the night we videoed was this little clip of Finn trotting some ground poles:



I'm really pleased with this, mostly because he is so relaxed and maintains such a consistent rhythm. He also directs a good bit on my focus and leg, with the support of a light rein cue in some cases, and for the most part, stays straight as an arrow over the poles. We could use a bit more energy, but I'm happy with where we're starting.

The next evening, we had a lovely little ride around the farm. Finn's confidence and willingness continues to expand, and every time I ride out I take him further from his comfort zone than the last time. We took a long trot from partway down the driveway up to the arena on the hill, and Finn handled it superbly.

Wednesday we hit the trial for real, with trail buddies S & T. We rode at Fay-Luther Canyon, a great trail and a lovely view:

Finn was a little over-attached to T at the outset, but a few leap-frogs and he was feeling much more connected to me. The trail we chose was a bit of a climb, not terribly steep, but consistently uphill. It was probably the hardest Finn has ever worked! Going uphill, I had a hard time keeping him in front of my leg... something we really need to work on improving. On the way back down, he felt much more forward, no surprise there!

Finn's forward walk is still no match for T's ground-covering march, though, so we got left behind a little on the way back towards the trailer. No mind, it was a great opportunity to test out connection. While Finn definitely got a bit concerned about T's disappearance, he kept his cool rather well and I just felt the need to calmly remind him that he needed to stay with me both physically AND mentally.

All in all, it was a great ride... although Finn made it quite clear that he is NOT a fan of the horseflies that were hiding out up in the woods. We headed back to S's for a bit, and Finn got to have another great learning experience, standing tied at the trailer quietly, even if your buddies "leave." Although he got a bit worked up about that, he settled down in a few minutes. That's what I like to see.

 

I planned to ride this morning, it's true, but the ride yesterday really was something far beyond what Finn is typically asked to do, so I decided to give him the day off. He'll have another three days off as I'll be gone braiding this weekend, but you know, he's earned it. He's been trying really hard and has progressed a lot in the last couple of months.

So this morning, I fed him his supplements, gave him a good grooming, red-lighted the scar on his knee and hand-grazed him for 20 minutes. I also washed his sweaty, smelly pad and girth from yesterday's ride. It feels good to know everything is in order before I go. I think Finn enjoyed the lazy morning, even though the wind was blowing like crazy out there!

Next week, I'll have Monday and Tuesday morning to ride before I go braiding again. Then I should be back in time to have a ride Saturday, as well. I might be able to squeeze rides in Sunday and Friday after my returns, but I'm typically pretty useless those evening after I've driven home from braiding on only couple of hours' sleep. So the next few weeks will be lighter for Finn, but I am determined to make the most of the days we will have together!

The Week Ahead

This coming weekend, I’m braiding at the first of three (possibly 4) shows in a row. Between the impending time crunch and my recent decision to start incorporating some preparation for jumping into our routine, I’m feeling a need to spend a little time laying out my week to optimize our productivity. Including yesterday, I had five days to ride this week. Ordinarily, I ride in the morning before I head out to braid, but the Western States Horse Expo is also this weekend, and I’ve chosen to sacrifice a ride for the chance to stop in there on my way to the Bay.

Yesterday evening, I had a liberal amount of time and was eager to get started on my new plan to start Finn’s jumping prep. So I did just about everything… reintroducing the idea of ground poles on line, continuing to build Finn’s confidence carrying the flag while doing our groundwork, cycling through the basic exercises from the Buck clinic, and walking and trotting over single poles under saddle. I was really pleased with Finn’s response to trotting the poles under saddle, something we’d never done before. Essentially, he asked, “Are you sure?” A quiet, “I am,” was all it took for him to commit, too.

Today, I’ve enlisted R to come to the barn and take some video, something I have really been wanting for the last few weeks. Our footwork feels much more accurate lately and I’d like to see if I’m on to something or just delusional. Additionally, I’ve been playing with our soft feel quite a bit and I’d like to see how it’s looking. For the record, I’d also like video of Finn carrying the flag during our groundwork. And considering the timing, I probably won’t be able to resist getting some “this is where we started!” footage of our journey to jumping. So, while I ordinarily wouldn’t plan it this way, today’s ride is probably going to be quite similar to yesterday’s. It’s okay; Finn will forgive me.

Tuesday, I’ll shift gears and keep building on our confidence riding out around the farm. I practice a lot of the same basic exercises during these rides, which is helping Finn realize it’s not a big deal. I try to maintain a mindset that the driveways become my arena, instead of letting riding out feel like something totally different.

Wednesday, I believe I’m heading out trail riding with S, which means we’ll work on whatever is appropriate for the trail we pick and the horse that shows up that day.

Thursday, we might go out on the trail again. If not, I’ll probably combine a little practice with the ground rails on line and under saddle with a ride around the farm afterwards, practicing our basic exercises. In addition, when I’m riding out, I always try to take advantage of the excellent opportunity to improve my focus and get Finn following my focus with more commitment and confidence.

This is the first time I’ve planned out a week in this level of detail in quite a while. It has made me think it might also be time to pick up my Dressage, Naturally book and start looking at how I might start in on the very basics of Finn’s dressage to keep pace with his jumping. Again, there’s a part of me that feels not ready, but I also think the interaction between foundation and specialization is a lot more fluid than my perfectionist personality tends to believe. So, there might very well be exercises in the D, N book I can begin to play with, and they might very well show me where my foundation needs work. That is how it should be.

I feel compelled to conclude by pointing out that my plans are always flexible. Although the weather in Nevada is usually cooperative, you never know. And though Finn is fairly consistent, I promise to meet him where he’s at, regardless of my agenda.

Ready, Set, Jump!

Foundation before specialization is a fundamental tenet of my approach to horsemanship. My intended specialization for Finn is eventing, but a person might not guess that by observing our day-to-day work. The process doesn’t look like the product, but it results in a product that tastes all the sweeter.

That said, Finn’s progress in the last couple of months has caused me to reconsider my long-term schedule for his development. While I certainly don’t want to push him too fast, there’s no benefit in holding back for no reason other than he was prepared before I was. It is a horsewoman’s challenge to set goals, but let the horse dictate the timeline. Although that often means slowing down when I’m impatient, it can also mean keeping up when Finn is improving full speed ahead.

In particular, I’ve begun thinking in concrete terms about teaching Finn to jump. Until now, jumping Finn has been out there in the ether… it’s something I always planned to do, but assumed it would be so long before we were ready that I might as well not think about it. That’s no longer an accurate picture of where we are or where we’re going, and so I feel it’s time to take hold of this fuzzy dream and turn it into a plan.

Finn will be far from the first horse I’ve taught to jump, although it has been a while. I’ve taught horses that were quite talented, horses that were rushers, and horses who destroyed whole grids without batting an eye. Once, I taught a horse that was quite talented, but very nervous and easily over-faced. Knowing Finn as I do, I expect that’s the experience I’ll draw on most. I believe Finn will be an excellent jumper, but I’ll have to patiently and deliberately develop his confidence in order for him to shine.

That’s why I think the time to begin is now. I’m still working at getting Finn centered and straight, following my focus on a loose rein, but he’s centered and straight enough that I don’t think adding ground poles into the equation would be detrimental to the process. In fact, I think it might help. And there is definitely no such thing as too much practice at ground poles for this horse.

With the nervous jumper I trained before, my then trainer recommended a different progression than what I’d been used to. Whereas we had usually started our green jumpers with lots of grid work, the nervous mare was mind-blown by that challenge. So, we changed gears and gave her lots of experience jumping tiny to very small single fences. I competed her in four Elementary level horse trials, jumping courses of 18” fences, before we finally returned to her grid work in the Fall. This plan allowed her to blossom into a confident jumper, and I expect my approach with Finn will be similar.

So, over the next several weeks, I plan to incorporate poles into our rides a couple times a week. We’ll start out very simple, and gradually increase the challenge as Finn tells me he’s ready. I’m in no hurry, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m actually jumping this horse before I know it.

Another thing I plan to do is give Finn opportunities to practice cavalletti and small jumps on line or at liberty. While my focus has shifted away from working on the ground so much, I believe there’s great value in allowing a horse to develop his agility and skill over fences without a rider on his back. Although I will still take this only as fast as Finn tells me he can handle, I certainly expect he’ll see complex questions here long before I feel we’re ready to try them from the saddle.

There are also a few elements outside of Finn’s confidence that will also shape our progress. First, my own skill. I haven’t jumped seriously in over a decade, and I’ve gotten very out of the habit of using my leg as my base of support. Considering Finn’s sensitivity, I owe him more than what I can currently offer. Until I feel I’m secure enough to do him justice, even when he falters, I will stick to ground poles and cavalletti.

My Ansur dressage saddle is also a limiting factor. I’ll happily take on the tiny stuff in it, but for a couple reasons I’ll definitely want something more appropriate before we go too much beyond that. For the last year or so, I’ve been dying for a nice western saddle to take out on the trail. Finn’s recent progress, though, has made me realize a jumping saddle needs to be my next acquisition. Conveniently, it will no doubt be less expensive than the western options I’ve been eying!

Lastly, there is the dearth of jumps I have access to. Where I board, we have four ground poles. As tight as my budget is, buying my own toys is not an immediate option. While I will have an eye out for affordable alternatives to regular standards, I will also be very conscious of keeping things safe and secure. With a horse who’s confidence is as tenuous as Finn’s, at least at the beginning I want to stay away from anything so lightweight that a tiny nick can send it flying. Besides, Finn has already shown me he takes more easily to natural looking obstacles -- a log versus a row of plastic barrels, for example. Naturally, I’d like to begin with what comes easy to him, so I’ll be avoiding some of the cheap options I’ve seen employed elsewhere.

Speaking of my tight budget… I would love to take lessons to help Finn and I through this process, and I likely will at some point when my finances are a little more feasible and I find an instructor I trust. Stay tuned for that. For now, I’ll do what I can on my own.

I really look forward to documenting and sharing this process. It’s an exciting development in my adventure with Finn, and will add some pleasant variety to our current routine. So here’s to my little buddy, who’d suddenly feeling very grown up and ready for the future to be here now.

Bring it Home, Chrome!

I’m settling in on my living room couch for approximately two and a half hours of build up to the 2014 Belmont Stakes and, of course:

To simplify a complicated thing, I’m excited. Is racing a perfect sport? Far from it. I wouldn’t say I love it, but I can’t deny that it speaks to me. I feel it in my heart when I watch an epic race… Zenyatta winning the 2009 Breeder’s Cup Classic, or losing the same race in 2010. Rachel Alexander winning the 2009 Preakness Stakes. California Chrome conquering the Preakness Stakes only three weeks ago…

I know that a lot of horses don’t get a fair shake at the racetrack, but I believe that there are horses who do. And I believe there are horses that understand, enjoy and thus excel at the life of a racehorse. Certainly in the last three weeks the glimpse we’ve all gotten into California Chrome’s life leads me to believe he’s a happy horse, and a well-loved one, too.

So, bring it home, Chrome. I hope you find wings on your feet and a clear track ahead of you.

Horsemanship on the Trail: Leap-Frog!

Finn and I had a GREAT ride yesterday morning with my fantastic riding buddy, Sally, and her inexperienced mare, Tiva. We chose the Clear Creek Trail in Carson City, a winding ride up a gently sloping mountainside. It’s a beautiful trail with one inconvenient feature: a ridiculously narrow pass-through gate at the trail head. Even the cyclists complain about it!

Someone's idea of a pass-through gate.

Although I hope the gate will ultimately be made more reasonable, for now it’s providing an excellent challenge for any passing horsewomen. The first time we rode Clear Creek, Finn and I struggled going back through the gate on our way to the trailer. Finn bumped his legs rushing it a few times, then thought it best to not try at all. Passive persistence won out in the end, though, and he eventually thought his way through.

Recalling what finally led to the desired results last time, I didn’t allow him to rush his initial attempts yesterday. Instead, I brought one foot through and backed it out, then two feet through and backed them out. Once he could bring two feet through and wait confidently before backing out, carefully bringing his hind legs through was no big deal and we left it at that. On the way back to the trailer, it went even smoother. That alone was a significant success in my book!

Not far up the trail, I noted that Finn was more connected to Tiva then me. When Sally and Tiva would resume walking after we’d stopped for a moment, Finn thought he should leave with them without too much regard for whether I was going, too! I could have gone with it, but that would’ve been counter to my long-term goal of having a calm, connected, reliable partner to ride. So, I asked Sally to ride ahead a little ways and stop, allowing me to remind Finn he ought to wait patiently until I ask him to walk on.

As I rode up to Sally, she asked if I would do the same for her. We ended up spending the next hour leap-frogging up the trail, building up to longer distances and eventually to trotting. While it was a slow way to cover ground and not the most conducive to conversation, it was an EXCELLENT experience for the horses. After several repetitions, I felt what I’d been waiting for. Finn gave no thought to following along as Tiva passed us, and then no thought to stopping when we passed her. He was on the same page as me, instead of reading over Tiva’s shoulder!

Finn waiting patiently. Sally & Tiva in the distance.

The frequent stops and waiting also helped Finn relax. While waiting, I sometimes played with refining our lateral flexion and control of the hindquarters. When we were passing, we practiced transitions, picking up a soft feel, and staying centered. In other words, there was no shortage of things to play with, and no shortage of opportunity to practice with great quality. As a result, I had the most connected, grounded Finn I’ve ever had on the trail. I was pretty ecstatic about that!

It’s this kind of thoughtful riding -- prioritizing the development of the horses over seeing the sights and covering ground -- that has challenged my horsemanship, developed Finn’s confidence and maturity, and transformed our partnership. That’s why I’m falling in love with trail riding more and more every time we go out. That partnership, after all, is why I ride, and I now understand the trail as one of the most perfect and infinite places to cultivate that very quality between my horse and I.

That was a relaxing ride; let's take a nap!

My Vision

“To the person who does not know where he wants to go there is no favorable wind.”
~Seneca

I’ve spent too much of the last five years proving the above quote right. When you don’t know where you’re going, it’s hard to make progress. While I, for the most part, enjoyed my horses, things remained stagnant for a very long time.

For me, knowing where I want to go got a lot harder when I chose to define it myself. I hadn’t quite realized how convenient it was to let someone, some program or some sport define it for you. Out here in the wild world of being an independent horsewoman, I was confronted with MANY different ways to approach horses, even within a fairly narrow sample of ALL the possibilities. After releasing the desire to believe that one was “right,” I began to accept this truth: having a strong vision of the desired result is the only meaningful measuring stick for deciding which way is mine.

So, I set out to clarify my vision, because the vague idea I’d been packing around inside my head wasn’t doing me much good, and I thought a written version would be stronger. Better yet, a version I can verbally articulate, in a way that makes sense to anyone, in less than 60 second… For today, we’ll settle for the former.

My vision for my horsemanship and relationship with Finn:

Partnership based on mutual benefit. The benefit I derive from our partnership is pretty well a given, but I want the deal to be good for Finn, too. That’s why I strive to understand him, and why I ask myself frequently: why should he want to be with me? It falls on me to offer a compelling reason.

Versatility. A genuine partnership is revealed when a horse and rider can meet any situation with aplomb. Partners can perform any task safely and with a basic level of proficiency. Trail rides, clinics, dressage shows, cow-working… I’m not limiting my range with Finn.

Health and longevity through balanced movement and quality care. I’m not satisfied unless my horses THRIVE. In the last few years, my awareness of the role riding plays in this has increased tenfold, which means I’m pushing myself to learn to ride in a way that augments Finn’s health and soundness instead of undermining it.

Eventing through Prelim. When I first embarked on this study of natural horsemanship journey, I expected to be back to eventing in a year. Eleven years later, what can I do but laugh? Still, I never lost my love for this sport, nor my desire to participate in it again. I schooled Prelim fences, but never competed at that level, so it’s a goal that feels daunting and absolutely right.

As visions go, this one feels like it fits me. I think I’ll quite like the woman I’ll become in its pursuit. I bet I’ll REALLY like the horse Finn will become, too. So, for now, I am content to own this, live by it, and consult it in times of confusion. When it helps me make intelligent decisions about my horsemanship, I’ll know it’s working.

Wait, Where'd the Demons Go?

I’ve been putting off having Finn carry the flag tied to his saddle for a few weeks now, because I was pretty sure it was going to be quite the affair. Not for no reason! Last time I tried, it was an affair, with the positive side of the experience being that at least Finn is now halter broke enough that he skittered around within the confines of the lead rope instead of flat out bolting.

He didn’t skitter for too long, but he also couldn’t relax about the idea. Couldn’t stand still and couldn’t take his eye of that dangerous flag, not even for an instant. This, even though I’d been using the flag around him for months. I speak to that briefly in the video below.

By that point, though, I was already seriously regretting my decision to go there, as I felt Finn was still a few weeks away from being 100% on his injured knee. I definitely didn’t want to chance setting back his recovery with more skittering! So, I found the most minute positive change you ever saw (he briefly attempted to look at me instead of the flag), took the flag off, and didn’t go back there for several weeks.

Yesterday finally seemed like the day to open that can of worms again… for some unknown reason, I was in the mood to face our demons! I got out my 22’ rope (the better to hold him with should he lose his cool), stocked the arena with water and an extra shirt for when the sun went behind the mountain, and was prepared to be out there for hours if need be. As it turned out, it was no big deal:



We still have work to do, but this was a MAJOR success for Finn and I! It seems some of Finn’s demons moved out while I wasn’t looking, and some of mine are definitely packing their bags right now.

On Finn’s side of the equation, I think our partnership has really turned a corner. On the last day of our clinic with Buck Brannaman, I felt something powerful and amazing: Finn turning loose. For real letting go of his fears and putting faith in my judgement. My friends, THAT has been a LONG time coming, and I often wondered if it ever would. While things are by no means perfect now, I feel a lot more willingness in Finn to trust me and stick with me when he’s unsure. That changes everything for the better.

Even when Finn had his eye on the flag last night, I never felt like he was going to blow me off and lose his cookies. Look at the trot in that video! You may not be able to see every detail, but I can tell you he was not so sure when the wind started flinging that flag around. But the tiniest bit of support from me was all he needed to keep his cool, and that makes me feel good about our chances of surviving the unexpected.

As for MY demons… well, last nights session went a LONG way towards reassuring me that my horse is actually broke. It was a little bit of healing for the scar left by a clinician I respected telling me I’d stolen rides on him, confused him, and gotten really lucky so far. While I believe some of that was unfounded, I feel like some of it was true. Don’t even ask me how many times I’ve thought to myself in the last year: “Am I insane to even be riding this horse?” I probably took it a bit too far, but it sure did push me to seek out knowledge we definitely needed.

On another note, I have admittedly held on to a fear of tying anything to Finn’s saddle since about this time last year when we had a bit of a mishap with the tarp. I had the tarp snapped on my 22’ feather line and had run the line through Finn’s stirrup, planning to play a little approach and retreat with him dragging it behind him. I thought the line would slip out easily if anything went haywire, but in fact when Finn took a big spook and broke away from me at an all out gallop, the line caught on itself and the tarp chased my terrified horse for several minutes before the stirrup itself finally fell off. Although an hour later, Finn was dragging the tarp, and then carrying it in a glob tied to his saddle with plastic bags attached to the spare D-rings, what stuck with me was the failure. And boy did it cut deep.

Ever since then, I've felt it was an issue that needed to be resolved, and I won't feel like it is until Finn can confidently carry the tarp draped over his back and tied to the saddle; walk and trot, maybe even canter. Until I can drag the tarp while we're riding, and then pull it up over the saddle without concern. And until he can not only cross it walk, trot, and canter confidently under saddle, but also stand on it completely relaxed. We put a lot of time in with the tarp before Finn's injury this Spring, but progress was slow to non-existent. Truth be told, when we started in on it again in January, I think I was as scared as he was! Not exactly a recipe for success.

But now I feel like we're on track to get there. We have the tools, and we're building a partnership that will stand us in good stead. The tarp is a demon that will be with us until we conquer it, but now I feel like it's just a matter of time. And I just sent one of it's younger cousins packing.

So, how do I plan to move forward from here? Well, you can bet that flag is going to be tied to Finn’s saddle for the vast majority of our groundwork until I am really sure he couldn’t care less. One thing we didn’t address yesterday was circling with the flag on the outside, which in the past with other objects has brought out another layer of his concern.

Meanwhile, the tarp has been in my garage since Finn injured his knee almost three months ago. I’m somewhat tempted to get it out now, but I think I will let it sit another few months. I’m curious to see: after a busy summer spent building our partnership on the trail and getting our communication and trust going better than ever, then where will we be? Is it possible that one day I’ll shake out the tarp expecting a demon to emerge, only to find it disappeared as well? I guess a girl can dream.

Now I Know For Sure

I love riding at Washoe Lake State Park because it offers a great variety of things to do. Sand dunes, sage brush, dirt roads, grassy meadows, a public arena, and the beach -- its crowning glory. I had a fantastic ride there a few evenings ago, and want to share this heavenly moment, fortuitously captured on video by my wonderful trail buddy:



I've watched this a dozen times (well, probably more) because it makes me so happy. There is my future event horse, confidently splashing through the water. There is a horse maturing into everything I ever hoped he'd be.

I admit I lost faith in us, but persistence -- my stubborn refusal to give up combined with his unwavering willingness to give me a chance -- was enough to get us through. Now it's coming back, in glimpses and inklings and beautiful moments like this one. We're going to make it; now I know for sure.

(ps- I encourage you to view this video in HD; it's much better that way.)

My Lucky Bay

I’ve always wanted a bay horse, but the Universe saw fit to teach me the insignificance of color first. When asked, almost 20 years ago, what I wanted in my first pony, I made one request: no chestnuts. My first four horses were chestnuts, and I dearly loved every single one of them. Thus, when I first met Finn, his color was the last thing on my mind.

Here’s what was on my mind: he was an unstarted four-year-old, and I’ve long been a believer in starting horses later than our industry standard. He had received quality barefoot hoof care all his life and was sporting a set of near-perfect feet, a major boon for someone who dreams in particular of competing a barefoot horse. He was an over-grown German Riding Pony boasting the build and movement of a warmblood in the size of a small horse, and I lack desire to ride anything taller than 16 hands. Basically, he was every unconventional thing I wanted wrapped up in one package. I deliberated very briefly before concluding I couldn’t let him go.

It was only later, perhaps when Spring rolled around and I watched him shed out for the first time, I realized one more way he was my dream come true. To this day I still touch his coat with awe, and feel a bit giddy as my eyes slide over his mahogany gleam. It’s true what they say: a good horse is never a bad color, but I still love owning that bay horse I’ve always dreamed of.

 

You can see why, when I look back to the day Finn came into my life, I consider it a lucky one. It feels like he was custom-made for me, in the ways I knew when I found him and in many ways I didn’t. I chose the name of this blog, though, to cheekily remind myself my luck didn’t stop there. Every day I share with my beloved, bay boy -- whether riding one of Northern Nevada’s glorious trails, or just stopping by with his supplements and a scratch -- is my lucky day. There’s the basic fact that I’m fortunate enough to have him; everything beyond that is a bonus.