The Young Horse Challenge

She was so dang cute!

It's easy to get big dreams going in your head when it comes to a young horse. The

process sounds so simple: start them, train them, show them. No big deal right?

Or not. Thank goodness she has gotten past this stage and the need to lunge has diminished immensely.  I honestly hate lunging so much that I debate about whether or not it would be less painful to just get bucked off. 

Looking back on that thought process with Indy, I have to laugh to keep from crying. NOTHING has been simple with her. First she was spooky, then she decided that filling her dreams of a career as a bronc would be a great idea. She was mentally immature. Then she went through the most awkward growth spurt and I was dealing with physical immaturity. She was spooky, bitchy, and damn hardheaded. Top that off with her being about as coordinated as a giraffe on ice and I could see my "young horse" dreams slowly dwindling away. So much for simple.

Right after she turned two.

Indy will be five in May and we still haven't shown. We will attend our first clinic this month. Her canter often looks like me riding Bugs Bunny hopping around *four footed leap, air time, land, repeat*. Sometimes she still responds to my leg with a giant F U. She'll still find that spooky spot ("OMG is that an open car door a mile a way?!!!" *ducks sideways*)  when she decides that she should be done. She's traumatized by another horse getting within twenty feet of her (I had this bright idea that if I mostly rode Indy alone, her confidence wouldn't be dependent on other horses. Mission accomplished and yet still a huge FAIL). Oh yeah, don't forget the occasional bite on the ass while I'm stretching her.

First time with a saddle and bridle on. She didn't care about that.

Yes, there are still days when Indy is spooky, bitchy, and damn hard headed. There probably always will be. It's just her. Then there are the days when she is wonderful and lovely. Times when everything comes together and her talent shines through. Times that bring on new dreams.

So, I have a bit of a challenging horse. I love her all the more for it. I know that I've earned everything I get from her. She makes it clear when I am right or wrong. Indy has taught me when to be patient or when to be tough. She has made me braver. Mostly, she has taught me to put my pride aside. I'm not ashamed that we aren't further along, I've done what was best for my horse by giving her the time she needed to grow up and I'm not going to get down on myself over it. Life would have been easier if the process had been simple, but what the hell would that have taught me?