Breeze caught me as usual this evening while I was saying hello to some of the herd. We walked back together to the yard and B had her tea. I took a few photos of her doing her standing in her stable after saddling up looking tired lol. I swear she hides in there hoping I will not be able to see her.
While Sandra walked Bertie for 10 minutes around the yard on the concrete I had a very short play and saddled her. She stood completely still for both the saddle to be put on her back and the girth done up loosely. Wonderful. We also went for a walk around the yard while I did the girth up some more. Then it was off to the school for some more play and for me to get on and wait for Sandra.
Didn't have to play much. Breeze offered me some sideways and I did some pre flight checks and she was so relaxed and chilled I thought it's now or never. I did hesitate a little and even told Sandra I wasn't sure I could get on. Her reply was to tell me to just get on with it lol. Which is what I did and Breeze was a star. She stood still while I got settled and moved off when asked.
I have had very little experience of riding in a school/arena except the boring circling favoured by most riding schools, some very difficult times with Lizzie and a traditional teacher and some hesitant but short times with Lizzie last year.
There were some horses out in the field who were hooning about and distracting me (and therefore Breeze) so it took me a while to relax and stop focusing on them and what B 'might do'. She didn't fight with me or be grumpy like Lizzie used to. She did get a little excited by the horses in the field galloping up and down but I found asking her to turn and weave and stuff helped her listen to me and be a partner. It wasn't until Sandra reminded me that I should not just talk to B but stroke her too when she did what I asked that I realised I wasn't doing that! Instead I was a little tense and holding onto the reins too much and pulling them down to turn not lifting up. This made me laugh and I then managed to drop the reins to stroke B with both hands and then relax and leave the reins alone until I needed to change direction.
What a difference it was riding B, compared to my experience with Lizzie. She is so light and athletic and can 'turn on a sixpence'. It feels like she wants to move and enjoys it. We did circles and fig 8's sometimes inside the line Bertie and Sandra took, or outside so B could do more. Then we tried some Clover Leaf with B and I leading. I tried to do that with Lizzie and once we managed 3/4 of the pattern lol. Here were B and I, Sandra and Bert really enjoying learning the pattern together. Even heading down the school nearer to the horses in the field didn't bother B much and some smaller circles within each 1/4 ' leaf' kept her interest and my focus.
I realised there is such a lot for us to do! Tonight we just did the basic pattern in walk, there are so many variations! This is just the start! I have had the Parelli Patterns for years and never really had the chance to use them until now. I feel a little overwhelmed by the possibilites and because I like to think negatively sometimes (oh ok, most of the time!) I wonder if I am up to the task lol. Can I be a good partner and leader for B and can we learn all this stuff together? I have dreamed about this and watched fellow students at clinics and on dvd's do all the stuff I never could. Now I have the chance of a lifetime with an eager partner in Breeze. Wow! All I can do is try and do my best and give it a go!
20 minutes went by so fast and we thought it was time to finish as the light was going. We do have lights in the arena but Berts' feet need to be taken into consideration and I don't want B to think we go in the arena for hours just yet lol. I got off and stuffed B with all the bits of carrot I had in my pocket. I could have hugged and squeezed her but it would have freaked her out lol. She did look happy tho and kept licking my hands even when we got back to her stable.
I saw a Barn Owl fly overhead when I was finishing up in the courtyard. I have always been a city girl so seeing a real life owl is a real joy. A great end to a brilliant evening. Sigh.
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