Beefs just wasn't into getting ridden tonight. Honestly, the ride was pretty damn bad. When I think about it, we've gone about a month straight with really good work and he was about due to have a bad day. So instead of getting upset or down about it, I'm going to focus on what I learned.
There were good moments. Not many, but some is better than none.
He's still my rockstar!
1. If he doesn't seem quite like his normal self, adjust. I knew it wasn't going to go well from the second I led him out of his stall. From the beginning I should have just gone for an easy laid back ride instead of trying to force what I had planned. It wasn't the day to try for perfection. I knew better, but ignored my instincts.
2. I kept my patience and didn't let him talk me into a fight. Because of this, the ride may have been
ugly, but Beefs finished with his brain still in tact and I'm not going to have to go back and fix it tomorrow. I need to remember that one bad day isn't worth loosing my normally willing and happy horse over.
ugly, but Beefs finished with his brain still in tact and I'm not going to have to go back and fix it tomorrow. I need to remember that one bad day isn't worth loosing my normally willing and happy horse over.
3. He was pissed off, tense, disconnected, and pretty much just in a bad mood. But then, so was I. I need to clear my head of everything else before I ride. If I can't, then it is probably better to just skip riding him that day. Beefs is smart and extremely sensitive. He's not going to miss the fact that I was in a crappy mood (I'm blaming it on the fact that it was so hot and miserable today).
His REALLY pissed off moment. Pretty, no?
4. It doesn't matter that we both looked like crap out there. The ride ended better than it started. Other than one tense moment where he started to get behind my leg and just a little too light for comfort in the front end, he really didn't do anything bad. He was grumpy enough and is more than capable to plant my ass if he wanted. He didn't. Beefs really is kind and tries hard. He doesn't have to go perfect every time.
It's possible that I may have learned more about myself and Beefs from the ride tonight than I have from the last month of good rides. In a strange way, I might be more proud of how we managed today than I am when things are going well. There is a bright side to everything and tomorrow is another day.
These kind of days make us appreciate the good days, while as you so eloquently put it recognise our own shortcomings.
ReplyDeleteHorses really are saints aren't they? :)
PS: The photos are so striking :)
DeleteThank you! Yeah, they really are :)
DeleteLiking this so much. It's so hard to take a deep breath and not fight with them, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is :) Though the older I get, the more patient I get with them and the harder I am on myself. Go figure.
DeleteTHIS - sometimes i am possibly too forgiving of the horses and woefully hard on myself as a consequence
DeleteKnowing when not to ride can often be a very difficult challenge
ReplyDeleteYeah, it can.
DeleteFrom the photos, it still looks like you had a good ride :)
ReplyDeleteI think that your post comes quite timely, as I just finished having a pretty horrendous ride on my mare... Horses keep us humble, that's for certain.
They really are. I hope that your next ride on your mare goes well. It seems like there are quite a few people out there having some rough rides these last few days. Maybe there's just something in the air right now.
DeleteThose photos are stunning! Great advice too, I have a hard time not getting pulled into a fight sometimes so it's a good reminder. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks :) Horses definitely have a way of testing our patience.
DeleteWow, love the pics! Who took them and will they be my friend too? Lol.
ReplyDeleteTough rides can be so educational.
I actually took them, in a way. I set up the ipad to try and get an updated video to show Beef's progress. Obviously, this video was not the one to do it with. The sky looked so gorgeous that I had to nab a few stills from it then I used Photo Toaster to edit them :)
Deleteyour photos are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteAnd here I thought your man was getting really arty with the horse shots! Tough rides are tough, but at least you got some freaking beautiful pictures:)
ReplyDeleteHaha! No, he booked it out of there before I got on :) Thank you!
DeleteEven if the ride was less than spectacular, your photos certainly aren't! Those are amazing! How did you set up your iPad?
ReplyDeleteDon't laugh, but I propped it up against a bucket on an area slightly higher than where I ride with the camera reversed to see if it was aiming in the right direction. I have a smart cover on it, but couldn't get the right angle with that. Highly technological, huh? ;)
DeleteNot to just repeat everyone else, but those pictures are brilliant! How right you are that we can learn so much from a bad ride, especially about our own need to be patient and celebrate the small victories. Now may this heat wave break soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks :) This heat, it's just awful! Not to mention all the damn mosquitoes.
DeleteJust like people, I think horses just have bad days sometimes. I always try to remind myself to cut them some slack every once in a while :)
ReplyDelete