While most of the North American Continent is having extremely cold and nasty weather, we in the Southwest US are having freakishly balmy weather. Here in Albuquerque, it’s been dry and in the 50’s for the last few weeks. Which means two things: 1. I have no excuse to not ride; and 2. if it doesn’t snow in the mountains soon, the price of hay is going to be worse than last year. Hopefully it will snow soon. As you can see, Pip hopes so too, as he is modeling the very height to yakness, even though it's about 55F out. (that's 12C for the rest of youse.)
As for riding, Pip has had quite a lot of time off. After our Mountain ride in September, he had strangles. That put the kibosh on riding for about 5 weeks. When that finally cleared up, I was off to Australia, so no riding for another 3 weeks. That brought us into the end of the year when it was actually cold and wet (no riding) and now we’re into February, and FINALLY I’m riding again! Hooray!
So the Pipmeister and I had a ride on the weekend. And I learned some things. He hasn’t forgotten his training from the summer. He’s much more responsive to my leg, and isn’t nearly has heavy in the hands. He actually carried himself pretty well. He did get balky trotting, and I’m not entirely sure why. He would just stop and fuss. I am using the dressage whip, as I hate booting him in the sides, and I'm not entirelly confident in my leg control to use spurs just yet. But we seem to be not really getting anywhere.
I am concerned that it could also be saddle fit (I’m using the western, as it makes ME feel secure) but it might be digging in behind his withers. Or it’s just me and my piss-poor position. I know that I’m not keeping my position very well, I feel too loose and wobbly, and my legs feel inconsistent (again why I'm leery of using the spurs). I think I am sitting lopsided (I don’t have any mirrors to use, and no one is watching me right now) and I just can’t seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong, or how to correct whatever it may be. But I also don't feel like I can concentrate on me, when Pip is all over the place too. I'm not doing a very good job focusing on him when I'm trying to remember how to ride well. And it's beginning to show...
However, next ride (hopefully sometime this week) will be in the dressage saddle (it’s closer contact and I’m more used to it) and we’ll see how that goes. Also, I don’t really care for arena riding, and I know Pip doesn’t like it. But I need to get him working and focused on me, rather than anything else. I am also working on losing weight so I’m not so heavy for him, that I can be fit enough to actually ride for an hour without getting winded, and keeping MY concentration so that I don’t lose him.
I also think I need to take lessons, but not owning a trailer or truck, I’m going to have to take lessons on other horses than Pip. But that could be a good thing, since lessons on Pip turn into Pip training, and I don’t really get the training I feel like I need to be doing his training!
So next post will be on training me for training him, perhaps!
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