Groundwork day

 So... since Lyric has some slightly puffy legs - along with some superficial scrapes - and I've been stressing a little about her not quite being ready in the back for riding yet... today was groundwork day. Despite it being beautiful and warm and sunny out! A perfect day for a trail ride and pool party.. oh wait! We don't load. Sigh...  (sorry.. that was mean, but I'm getting so frustrated!).

I ended up timing it so that my lunging session was right before Jean's lesson, so there were jumps everywhere. I did find a big enough area to lunge... we just couldn't do our roving lunge like I like to do, but.. oh well. We did our pillar walk and then we lunged. And she was good. We got some really nice stretches down and she stayed level or lower most of the time. Unlock that back girl! After that we had a nice psoas stretch in pillar 1 on the hill. 

Then I grabbed her lunch and we went to the trailer. She got in fairly quickly and ate about 1/3 to 1/2 of her lunch and then something caught her attention. I think Jean's horses were galloping, and then Jean's voice carried... and she got nervous. And then it just fell apart. So I just gave up and turned her out. I grabbed Funny and she happily walked in and ate some of Lyrics lunch. She even walked all the way through the trailer, both directions. (Although, ha! Funny also just helps herself to walking out the partially open stall door and exploring the aisleway). So then I took Funny into the roundpen for a very short session. And then I went and got Lyric again. She had calmed down and the noises and distractions had settled. I decided that I would work on the one step and stop near the trailer. We were doing that and doing well and then Mike showed up. He wanted to see if I wanted to go get ice cream. I told him yes, but I needed like 30 minutes. He asked if I was okay and I told him I was just annoyed at the horse and her refusal to load and somehow I told him he could try. Bless him, he did. And he did better than me. He actually got her with all four feet in the trailer by holding the grain just out of reach until she got on. I was half tempted to kiss him and half tempted to slap him. Ha ha.. Why is he so good at EVERYTHING!?!? ha ha. Anyways... She was eating so I took over and then shortly after she backed off again and then wouldn't get back on. So... I twirled my lead rope at her. And...it worked. She got on. And ate a bit. Then got off. Then I twirled the rope again and she got on, but then off. So we did that a few times and she finally got on and settled and ate. And then we quit. So I could go get ice cream with Mike! 

Arghhh.. it's just so frustrating. I can't tell if she's just testing me and because I'm not insisting, she's not bothering. I mean... she wants food, so surely it's not just that?! But then she goes on when I twirl the rope. Granted she's still a little nervous, but.. I don't know how else to make progress at this point. Maybe if I can get her on while twirling the rope, but then it's a peaceful place in there... maybe her nervousness will resolve? I don't know. Sigh... I'm just so frustrated. And not all at her. It's a beautiful day! And I can't ride Dan. I can ride her (though today I opted not to because of the swellings etc) but I can't take her anywhere. I want to go trail riding! I want to go take lessons. I want to go teach her how to cross creeks and go over logs and up and down banks. I'm tired of riding alone in my arena. And even when Kelli comes, I still want to go on trail rides. 

But... I get it. I hear You God. I know. If she had loaded I would probably have pushed too fast. And I need time to figure out some things about her and me and about how I want my plan to go. I need time to think and breathe and get to know her. BUT... I can also do that while trail riding?! But... You are right. I'd get carried away and lose some of the stuff I'm gaining by this. But still, please God, please help me figure out how to get her consistently on the trailer without stressing of being upset or flying backwards. I will continue to take it slow, but she also could learn about trailering and trail rides and other horses. 

Anyways... It's a process. I just wish I could know if I was doing the right thing or not. Is it not working because I just need to hold my course and be patient or is it not working because I'm not doing the right thing? 

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