Riding through the buck, Part 2

We started out on our ride today and before she had taken 3 steps into the park, she crow hopped. It was a little one, just as if to say, "tighten  your belt lady, we're going to have a ride today." After a few head tosses, I decided to eliminate any tack problems. I've been riding lately more in the halter than bit, but we had decided to put the bit in today just because.  After the crow hop, about 20 minutes into the ride, we stopped and I traded equipment with Kimberly's mare, Rosie, and put the halter on Beauty - bit on Rosie. Even though we had been walking, mostly on the trail at this point, Beauty was already sweated out. It felt more like emotional sweat to me, she just wasn't feeling right. She still has her wolf teeth - they are tiny little things, and her vet and Dave Ellis have both said she wouldn't have to worry about the bit hurting. But to be safe, before she goes back to training, she's getting a float - this coming week - and they will pull the wolf teeth.  One less thing for me to stress about! 

So, off we went again, doing a few jaunts up hills, down gullies. She had calmed down quite a bit with the removal of the bit.  The bucks were more like crow hops, coming now and again, mostly when she was being her typical left brained self - wanting to do what she wanted, not what I was asking.  I decided to give her a job and began working on leg yields and half passes, and she seemed to calm into the work.  From there on, she was pretty compliant with my requests - but as kimberly pointed out later - she always tests me - just a little. When I don't pick up on it and shut it down, then her snotty face comes out and she tests more.  It's so interesting - she is such a great trail horse, but you really need to ride her the whole way! No putting her on auto pilot. Just before the halfway point where we water them, I had asked her to drop down a little slope about 6 feet, but a pretty steep slant, and the little turd threw a big buck! It was a close one, and I'm sure I'll have a saddle horn bruise on my legs to prove it. It was her last snotty however, and she was great the rest of the ride. 

She needs a firm leader - a fair leader, but firm.  I'm not always so firm - sort of wishy-washy really.  When kimberly rides her, at the very first sign of the snotty face coming out, she circles her to a stop - and continues this until Beauty goes, "fine, be that way!" and does what she's asked.  And she REALLY likes to get off the trail and really ride!  She enjoys jeeping up and down hills, exploring, looking at things that show up, and you can see it in her pictures. She's really a fun trail horse. My poor Jeffrey always seems like he'd rather be anywhere but on the trail.

Anyway - tomorrow we're back in the arena and will be working on our canter.  I'm hoping to have a buck-free day and will ask Kimberly to take over if things seem to be getting out of hand.  Oh to be young and fit, and such a confident horsewoman like her! I'm so very fortunate to have such good, solid friends to share this journey with. Makes it all worth while!