[orse]

Day Fifty Seven


I slung my bridle on my shoulder, making my way to the yard. It was time for the big moment. I had lunged Promise for a decent amount of time before so she was calm and ready for work. I put the reins over her head, pulling the bit into her mouth and the crownpiece over her ears. She munched on the bit as I pulled her forelock out of the browband, buckling the throatlash, noseband and flash noseband. Promise bobbed her head, her slobbery breakfast-filled mouth flinging slobber everywhere. I laughed, taking the reins over her head and leading her to the quiet indoor arena.

I led Promise in to the arena, taking her to the mounting block. She looked at me warily as I snapped my helmet on, securing it firmly. I fetched a body protector, zipping it up. I usually didn't ride in one, but I wasn't going to take any chances for the next few days.

It was time. I leant on her back again carefully, and once she was used to the idea, I knew it was time. I took a deep breath, knowing it all had come to this. I stepped onto the edge of the mounting block, making sure my reins were firmly in my hand. I knew riding bareback first might come across as a stupid idea, but I had my reasons. Promise might feel more uncomfortable in a saddle, and all I wanted to do was get her used to my weight. I carefully swung my leg over her back, and instead of sitting straight down, I slid slowly onto her back. The minute I had my weight centered in the saddle, Promise raised her head and dipped her back in surprise, surging forward. I pulled the reins back gently, and she stopped, but began to spin on the spot, obviously upset. 'Whoah, girl..' I braced myself, relaxing my hips and legs to stay with her as she exploded into a bucking frenzy. I pulled her head in so she had no neck and sat to the bucks, trying to hold her back. I grimaced as she reared. I flung myself forward, a pang of fear rushing through me. She dropped back to the ground and stood still, breathing heavily. I sighed with relief. If I had not flung myself onto her neck, she would have been tipped over. Promise trembled in fear, and I stroked her neck softly. Surely she knew what I just prevented from happening. I patted her as I slid off, leading her back to the yard for the night.





Things I learnt/did today

- I sat on her bareback for the first time

[orse]

Day Fifty Eight


Promise anticipated what was going to happen next as I lined her up at the mounting block once more. I steadied her, stroking her softly as I slid on again. She surged forward again but I stopped her, gathering the reins and asking her to halt. When riding a green horse, everything needed to be over exaggerated. Instead of subtle rein contact, for the first week, I was going to need to make it very clear as to what I wanted of her.

I used clear steering aids and clear leg aids to ask Promise to walk on. She was clearly unsure and unbalanced, but I kept my leg on and used my seat to encourage her. She reluctantly stepped forward and I praised her with my voice. She was quite sensitive to my leg, and it took her a while for me to show her what things meant. She was tensed and nervous, and I knew she was confused. I let her walk around the arena, using no more aids. I then slipped off her back and grabbed the saddle, putting it on. She was fine with this part. I lined her up at the mounting block and put my foot in the stirrup. It was a bit different to how I did it the other time. I swung my leg over, landing lightly, then dismounted just as fast. When Promise was becoming sick of all the new experiences, I led her back to the round yard, rugging her for the night.





Things I learnt/did today

- I managed to walk her around the arena while riding her
- Practiced mounting and dismounting with the saddle

[orse]

Day Fifty Nine




I shifted forward on Promise's back so I was spreading my weight on her back evenly. She listened to my leg and I walked her on a long rein. I let her stretch her head down in long and low, using leg aids to keep her walk active. I then asked her to trot, sitting still as she made the transition. Promise trotted awkwardly and tensed as I bounced slightly on her back. She bucked in between strides so I began to rise bareback. She found the rising quite absurd, but began to tone down the severity of the buck. I used voice commands to ask her to canter as she was familiar with them from lunging. I combined it with leg aids and she cantered. The canter was nice, but it was tensed and awkward. I sat to her bucks and pigroots, pulling her back to a controlled canter then a halt. I hopped off, saddling her and hopping back on. She raised her head as I swung my leg over the saddle, but I gave her no time to think. I asked her to walk on, letting her stretch her head down again. I kept myself light in the saddle and encouraged her to relax onto the bit. She sighed in relief as I loosened the girth and rugged her, adding another waterproof canvas over the first. It was going to rain tomorrow, and I wasn't taking any chances.



Things I learnt/did today

- Rode up to a canter bareback
- Tried walking with a saddle

[orse]

Day Sixty


It was pouring down outside, but all was silent in the arena. I tightened her girth once more, mounting swiftly. Promise was very

A thousand horse and none to ride! -
With flowing tail, and flying mane,
Wide nostrils never stretched by pain,
Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein,
And feet that iron never shod,
And flanks unscarred by spur or rod,
A thousand horse, the wild, the free,
Like waves that follow o'er the sea,
Came thickly thundering on,...
-Lord Byron, XVII, Mazeppa, 1818

sensitive to all of my aids so I sat still in the saddle, asking her to walk on. As I shortened the reins slowly, Promise tossed her head. I held the reins firmly, asking her to trot, using my seat along with my legs. Promise responded well, springing into a short, choppy trot. I used more contact, asking her to slow her pace while using leg to get her to lengthen her short strides.

Promise was reluctant to turn at the trot but I used my outside leg to encourage and balance her through the corner as we trotted down the center line. I did many rein changes, but still kept a straight line. I didn't want to introduce bend just yet. Promise was beginning to lose focus, so I rode her around the outside track once more, asking for a canter.

This time, I asked for the canter properly, sitting in the saddle and putting my outside leg behind the girth and my inside leg on it. Promise struck out into a canter, but on the wrong lead. I pulled her back to a trot and asked again around the corner. She was confused, but picked up the proper lead. I cantered her on both reins for a few minutes, and when she began to loosen up and canter nicely, I grinned in pride. I walked her out slowly, reluctant to get off, even though I knew it was enough work for the day.





Things I learnt/did today

- Rode again with a saddle using basic aids

[orse]

Day Sixty One - Day Sixty Seven


They next days consisted of riding; lots of it. Promise had latched onto the idea of leg being used to steer, too. I had introduced her to basic circles, 10m, 20m, 15m and 5m ones. She needed a lot of support through them, and I had been working with her a lot to master them. She could complete all 4 types of circles in any gait, and I was proud of her. We began work on 3-loop serpentines, and after a few days of practice along with the circles, we had it mastered also. I had managed to get a few simple lead changes in, but I knew we could never achieve a flying change in the next ten days.

She was improving rapidly, and there were only seven days to go. At the 5 day left mark we would do jumping, but I wanted to master flat work first. She listened to me well, and there was not much more I really wanted to practice. I decided that the next few days would be devoted to more intricate movements.



It's a wild horse. Treat it like one.







Things I learnt/did today

- Worked on circles and bends
- She is now used to mounting

[orse]

Day Sixty Eight


I posted lightly in the saddle, holding my contact as I asked Promise to pick up the pace. Promise snorted, throwing in a kick before extending her strides. I rode her down the quarterlines, asking her to canter when we were back on the outside track. She picked it up instantly and I smiled quietly to myself. We cantered yet another circle, which came as no surprise for Promise. I put my outside leg on, guiding her out when her shoulder began to drop. She rushed as we neared the outside track but I steadied her by half halting with my seat and squeezing on the reins. Promise braced herself as I rose up into 2-point, my feet resting lightly in the stirrups. She stumbled, not used to the shift of my weight. I eased her back to a trot, sitting back in the saddle without rising. Promise didn't like it when we practiced sitting trot, but it was something we had to do.

When we were done, I took Promise for a walk around the property. I gave her a long rein, knowing that she trusted me to keep her safe out in the open.



You've got to give something you never gave...



... to get something you never had.
-Pat Parelli







Things I learnt/did today

- We are working on improving flatwork

[orse]

Day Sixty Nine


Riding in the arena was becoming a bit of a boring process. I sighed, getting on with it. I decided we would go out tomorrow for a change of scenery. The rain had begun to clear up, and the remaining drizzle still fell occasionally. I slid on my windbreaker as I grabbed the bridle, the bit jingling. I grabbed the saddle, hauling it onto my hip. Promise was spinning anxiously in her stall. I slipped her bridle on, fretting with her forelock. She chomped on the bit loudly, snorting and stomping her foot in frustration. I urged her to walk on, leading her to the arena once more. She surged forward as I mounted, and I pulled on the reins, hopping off. That was a bad habit, needing to be fixed by repetition. I took the time to mount, holding her back each time. Promise got the idea, and after some practice, I let the reins go slack, mounting once more. Promise stood stock still until I took hold of the reins and urged her on.

Circles, bend, flexion... Canter... trot... walk...
It was all so repetitive, but time seemed to fly when I was riding Promise. I hopped off reluctantly, taking the reins over her head. I was looking forward to the next day - our first ride out.





Things I learnt/did today

- More flatwork

[orse]

Day Seventy


As soon as the heavy morning fog had lifted, I sprung into action. It was a cool and crisp morning, winter was approaching. I

shivered, grabbing my bridle. There was no need for a saddle today. I clipped my helmet on quickly, walking briskly to Promise's yard. She greeted me kindly, seeing no saddle. 'That's right girl. We're going out today.'

I vaulted onto Promise, wiggling forward to the middle of her back. She put her head down and tugged at the reins, reefing them out of my hands. I grabbed a small piece of rope and tied it around her neck, gathering the reins again and setting out into the forest. We walked slowly and leisurely through the forest. I held the reins at the buckle, using the neck rope to hold on. I tied a knot in the reins so I could let go of them. I held onto the neck rope and asked Promise to trot, sitting relaxed on her back as we travelled through the forest. I then asked for a canter, and we flew through past the trees, the wind flapping my hair. I scanned the horizon, seeing nothing but open plains. I relaxed fully, only steering Promise with my legs. I slowly released my hands from the neck rope, putting them out beside me as we cantered for longer. When we had reached an open spot, my heart raced in excitement. I put leg on again, asking Promise to move into a gallop. I grinned, the wind blasting against my face. Free riding, living the dream.





Things I learnt/did today

- We rode out on a trail ride today
- She moves off the leg very well

[orse]

Day Seventy One


Promise seemed to be looking forward to a ride. I saddled her up, this time with a jumping saddle which was slightly heavier than the all purpose. She didn't seem to notice though, and continued to eat her breakfast. I heard the breakfast bell and sighed, taking her tack off to go eat.

'Second try,' I sighed, my stomach full of breakfast goodness. I tacked her up once more, smoothing out the saddle pad and carefully resting the saddle on top. I was in the saddle within minutes. Promise was eager to begin, but I held her back, waiting for her to settle down. I asked her to walk forward and we set off to the jump paddock. After a few minutes we began to trot and canter, and I could see the paddock in the distance. Promise knew where we were going now, and she instantly picked up the pace. I rode her through the gate and closed it behind me, hopping back on quickly. I had set up a whole line of cavaletti poles, and I asked Promise to trot over them. She found carrying a human over the jumps quite unusual at first, but soon adjusted to it. I took her over a range of poles including canter poles, trot poles and cavaletti. She catleaped a few, but I didn't blame her. I finished up, leading her out the gate. We went for another gallop further out in the same field as before, and by the end, Promise was beginning to tire.

I led her back to her yard once more, thinking about what was to come in the next few days.





Things I learnt/did today

- Took her over some cavaletti

[orse]

Day Seventy Two


Promise jerked at the bit as I rode her around the jump paddock. I sat in the saddle, ready to ask for a canter, but Promise expected it and began to canter straight away. I corrected her, asking her to trot once more. I sat in the saddle again, but this time, did not ask for the canter until she was ready once more. I then asked for the canter and she followed accordingly, picking up a bright and active canter.

I looked around to the far corner of the jump paddock where there were some short cross rails set up.
Promise held her head high in excitement as I steered her towards the jumps. The sun was beginning to descend in the sky, casting its golden rays upon the earth. I pulled her to a halt, standing in the middle of the jumps. I planned them out, finding a course that would work. I kicked Promise into a canter, holding her pace so it was full of impulsion and strength. I steered her to the jump, almost wanting to close my eyes. Our first jump, this was it.


This is, the part when I break free..


As we neared the jump, I rose up in the saddle, extending my arms. Promise launched herself over the small but important jump. Small jump, huge achievement. I patted Promise firmly, staying in 2-point as she cantered down the paddock.

Promise bobbed her up and down head quickly, snorting. I sat back up in the saddle, containing her pace again. She shifted her weight back on her hindquarters, ready to jump again. I shortened my reins, shifting my hands down her neck as I pressed my heels behind the girth. She burst forward towards a combination of three cross rails, and I lifted myself out of the saddle as she hopped over all three in one fluid motion, a stride between each. I circled her around and completed the same combination. She flew over the small rails with no effort at all. I dismounted, turning four of the cross rails into vertical jumps, 20 centimetres high. The single jump and the combination of three.

Promise was happy to clear the single jump, and as she rushed to tackle it again, I squeezed on the reins, altering her speed. She took off early, landing early, but at least she hadn’t knocked it. I steered her to the combination. It was going to take more effort. I asked her to canter, holding my breath as she leaped over each jump. She suddenly stopped at the third jump, and before I could turn her around, she cat-leaped the jump. I was wrenched forward, thrown down to the saddle when she landed. I pulled back the reins, halting Promise and dismounting. I decided it was enough work for the day, leading her to the little water trough before mounting once more for a long ride home.





Things I learnt/did today

- Did more small jumps
- More poles and cavaletti