Ramblings...

So, twleve days and at least four sessions later I am back.... I didnt go anywhere but I just havent posted. Things have been complicated in my head lately and I havent been able to find enough coherent thought to post it all. I am going to try harder now.



First and foremost, I accomplished one of my lifelong dreams two weekends ago. I got to go swimming with Mo. It was totally awesome and amazing and just crazy fun. You Tube video [my first ever!] can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S47_VzGCQLU I got to indulge my Piratey addiction, so bear with me.



So that was fun. Went to Russell, rode with my dad and his horse Rocky. Went down the Russell trails I always wanted to as a kid [killer bike trails] and visited some of dad's friends [you know you are country folk when you ride your horse a-visitin] Cantering through corn feilds and whatnot. Very good times. Mo was supreme the whole day. Right from the morning, she loaded perfectly, rode great, she was a little hyper when we got there but I played with her on the ground until she calmed down and then the trail ride was great. She had a nap in a stall [literally, flat out] while I went to lunch and then we went swimming in the pond. I got to dive off of her back, which was awesome. So good day.

Then the next day fell apart! It wasnt horrible, but it was bad... I have no idea what happened. Mo was just ultra fly-a-kite-run-like-a-lunatic. I eventually got her to relax by putting a zillion obstacles in her way so she would have to think, but it just wasnt pretty or fun, and I hate to say it, but I was really frustrated! We just had the best day of our lives the day before, and now its all gone??? I didnt get, and still dont. I left her alone for a lot of days after that, not completely by choice, but it rained solid... so there was nothing I could do anyways.

I had a couple of more flying-a-kite like sessions each time I played. I cant understand WHY she is suddenly so... crazy? Then on Saturday I went out to play and I had Mo back. My Mo. The Mo I know and love and can understand. We did awesome things on Saturday. We played over jumps - two barrels with a vertical rail, a barrel cross rail and a pretend cavelleti. We played with super soft sideways and yo-yo. We even played with liberty. Coolest thing had to be squeezing her through a hula hoop though. That I will have to get a picture of. I started at her hind end, put her bum in the hoop and then brought it up her legs, over her middle, lowered her head and brought it down over her neck and feet. To cool.

We also played with yeilding from the hula hoop in every direction, sideways towards, hind towards, front towards, backing by the hoop on the hind legs or front legs, that kind of thing. It was very cool. I rode in the bridle to try it, but when I mounted the reins were still just detached and wound on her neck, so I mounted and rode warm up essentially bridless. THAT was a cool feeling. And Mo was GREAT. Spot on! Everything was perfect and snappy and great.

We ran through simple changes, figure eights, maintain gait and direction, little jumps, everything, even going on and off of contact without changing pace. Everything went so great that I even went out on the trails to cool out alone, which isnt something we usually do because Mo isnt confident enough, but that day she was, and we ended up cantering and galloping freestyle all around the trails! I did eventually cool her off, but only after that....

Then the next day brought disaster! Mo was CRAZY once I got on her. She was an angel on the ground, absolutely perfect. I couldnt have asked for more, but then after I was in the saddle, after two laps in the ring, the far left corner became the DEATH ZONE. Nothing changed, but Mo started freaking out ALL along that side of the fence and into the corner and generally just going insane. I felt like I could ride it so I didnt get off yet. I tried to put her into some strong patterns to distract her and get her thinking again, but that didnt help.

The only plus is that using her adrenaline, we cleared the big barrel/rail vertical jump. AND on adrenaline, she is a better jumper [snort] But she was still NUTS. So I went over to the corner and dismounted, changed my reins to be hooked onto the curb strap on the bit [seemed better that the bit itself, but I am not sure if this is ok or not?] and went into a BIG yo-yo game trying to get her attention. I made the 'scary' spot a comfy spot where I would leave her alone if she stopped moving there. Lots and lots and lots of backing up later she finally stood and I left her alone for a while before moving in to rub her and things.

She looked rideable again. She looked normal again, so I rearranged my reins and then went to mount... and as soon as I lifted that one boot her head went back up and I had to start all over again... *sigh* I did, and finally got her to STAY with me and allow me to mount. We just walked around, she was drenched in emotional sweat, my mind was going a mile a minute trying to figure out what the hell was going on, and so after a lap and a half when she started to 'notice' the corner again I just had enough and let myself out of the ring and we went on the trails.

I changed to a halter and 12' converted to a hackamore first though. Which was cool. Unbridling/rehaltering from Mo's back. And so out on the trails we went. We walked at first, then trotted, and I practiced my fluidity and pedaling to try and sit her trot. I, at least in this, was mildly successful. The we cantered around and I hit a good song on my ipod and we galloped laps and up the hill and down the galloping track and back around again. That was good fun. It was a good way to get Mo's energy out to. For a usually lazy horse, she had no problems maintaining that gait!

When she was finally cooled out and I dismounted she got all jittery by the barn again. Damned if I know why... I am just SO confused about her right now! I dont understand how we can go from lots of awesome days in a row to one awesome one horrible. Maybe its boredom. So much rain, so much restriction in the ring.... Maybe I should set up a play ground in the pasture. Maybe I will bring Mo home for a while so we can play in my pasture at home. Autny's is so nice and freshly bush hogged though.... I just need it to stop raining so I can make use of it!!

So thats me... and Mo... and I dont know whatever demon spawn has her possessed every other day. I know shes wierd and quirky, but she seems different than shes ever been before. I dont know how to deal with it. I normally try and shut it down, but I think maybe next time I will just grab the longest rope I have and play "You want to move? ME TOO!" see how that goes....
I think I will also try to set up some things in the pasture to.. its 25 acres or so, so that should be fun...?

Maybe I will just spend some hang time with Indy instead.? Its just so hard with Ivy being annoying all the time! Cant wait for weaning time!!! Mind you, by then I will be departing this fair country for the States headed to Florida.... Oh well.

So basically I dont know whats going on... Ive got to think some more on this with her. I also want to invest in the new Parelli Patterns to see how I should be developing her [and Indy] and hopefully that will help me out of this interesting rise/fall rut.

:-)
S