Ups and Downs

We have a new boarder at the stables. He is a 5 year old that stands 17.2hh. Gem is no longer the tallest horse, but I think he's still the biggest. While Dream is very tall, he is slender and actually delicately built compared to Gem's robustness. Dream is 3/4 Thoroughbred and 1/4 Shire. Dream and Gem are both classified black, but Dream is darker with white socks. I think he's darker because he is always under a blanket when he is outside. Dream likes to watch the lessons in the arena...yes, he is so tall that he can look over the wall of his stall into the arena. :-)

Dream's mom is training him in dressage. I had a nice chat with her when they first arrived about the difficulties in finding tack to fit a tall or large horse (she won that contest!). As I was standing next to Dream, I realized just how tall he is. Wow. His mom is about my height (5'7"). How the heck did she get on him?? "Oh, I have a 3-step mounting BLOCK". Really? I had no idea these things existed. The next time I was in the arena, I saw Dream's mounting block. My little 2-step ladder looked very insignificant next to this piece of equipment. :-)

I asked Dream's mom if she ever went out on trail rides. She said that every time she did, she got hurt, so she prefers to ride in enclosed areas. Having fallen off a tall horse myself, I can related. Getting on Gem from the ground was hard enough, so I can't even imagine having to get on Dream from the ground!

I have never been graceful getting on or off a horse (see Mounting and Dismounting). I could measure how bad my mounting and dismounting were by the number of bruises I would have on my arms the day after my lesson. For now I am grateful that I have improved to the point where I don't collapse on Gem's shoulders like I used to do with GM, and that my blue/white stomach and super sports bra are not regularly displayed after I slide down Gem's body when getting off him. I no longer have to worry about tipping over the saddle and doing a head plant on Gem's right side as I kick my left foot out of the stirrup. The days of holding on to the saddle for dear life as my dangling feet look for solid ground when dismounting are no more.

I think that my body is getting used to the motion of mounting and dismounting. My hip joints have opened up to allow for the up and over movement. My teeny tiny core muscles are strengthening. A year ago, I could hardly bend and touch my toes or do any stretches. I now think yoga is in my future! Now my leg clears Gem when I am getting on him. If I have had a hard lesson though and I am tired, I will dust his rump with my right leg during the dismounting process. I have improved quite a bit, but I am looking forward to the day that I can swing myself on or off Gem in one fluid motion, my right leg clearing his body by at least a foot. It will happen!!

The other night, I decided to try out Dream's mounting block. I let Gem look at it and sniff it. For some reason, Gem wasn't fussy on it. Up I stepped. Holy crap. I was actually quite high off the ground; a little scary. But, I could easily step into the stirrup and reach over to the saddle horn. I did not have to haul my bulk up and into the saddle. I just placed myself on Gem's back. So easy. So wonderful.

LA has commented on my improvement getting on and off Gem, which is encouraging. It takes me a sec to get my foot in the stirrup while perched on my ladder, but it's getting easier. As much as the block is super easy and I look so much more dignified getting on Gem when I use it, I think I will continue using my 2-step ladder. I think having to stretch to get my foot in the the stirrup and having to reach and pull myself on to Gem is exercise - every little bit helps, right? Gem's height intimidated me at the beginning, but after 8 months it's beginning to feel more and more natural. Besides, with my track record for falling off during trail rides, I need to continue conditioning my body to bend and stretch so I can reach the stirrups to get back on him from the ground!! :-)

What was I thinking....?

Flying Through the Air With the Greatest of Ease.....

The weather here has been fantastic the last few days. I actually skipped out of work early on Friday and headed to the stables. I didn't care if there wasn't going to be anyone there to ride with me. I just wanted to be out in the warmth and with my boy.

I found him half asleep standing in the sun with one of his roommates. He was very snuggly when I went to put the halter on him. As I put him in the cross-ties, his eyes started to close and his pink lip started to quiver ever so slightly. I rubbed and scratched him in all the right places. Half way through my grooming routine, AT came in the barn. She was on her way to get her pony and asked if wanted to join her out on the trail. Of course!!

Off we went. The snow was deep and heavy, but the sun was shining and it was hovering around -2C. We just walked around the property, chatting away. Horses came up to us a couple of times to check us out; no incidents. Gem was very well behaved and was a big baby when I was grooming him after our ride. He snuggled me and dozed off with me rubbing his pink lip. It was a wonderful afternoon.

Today, I arranged to meet up with two other riders at the stables, RB and CH. We tacked up and headed out to the water tub just inside the pasture fence. As Gem and I were standing waiting for my riding mates to mount, a couple of horses came in from the pasture for a drink. Gem started to get a bit anxious and pawed at the ground. I have never seen him do that before. "Oh, he's probably anxious to get on with the trail ride," CH said. We walked away from the tub as a group, and then the two loose horses went one way and our group went the other.

As we stood together trying to decide which trail to take, Gem got all wiggly and then he kicked up his heels, hard and high. I didn't even have a chance to blink. The next thing I knew, I was flying through the air and hitting the ground. I hit hard, and I took a quick inventory of my teeth and made sure I could move my fingers and toes before I attempted to get up. I had a terrible soreness on the inside of my left thigh. He stood beside me for a brief moment, then turned and started to gallop across the field after his two new friends. I have to say he looked magnificent; tail up, long mane flowing. CH and RB got off their horses and helped me up. RB walked after Gem and eventually brought him back in. RB said that when he caught up to the group, it was like they were standing around talking about the weather. RB had no problem gathering up Gem's reins and he was easily led away.

We all went to the arena. I got back on Gem and rode for an hour. Gem was fine, his usual self. Eventually, my body started to stiffen up and I could feel a lump swelling up through my jeans where my thigh connected with the horn when I bounced off the saddle. Gem was fine when I unsaddled him and groomed him. He put his head under my arm as I rubbed his head. Could this be the same horse that just an hour ago had no regard for my personal safety??

What the heck happened today?? What could I have done differently? How do you convince a horse that he should be with you and not playing with new friends? How do you get a horse to chill out when you don't have an opportunity to lunge him or warm him up? When I think back on events leading up to my high flying act, there were subtle signs that all was not calm with Gem. He was a little anxious in the cross-ties. He rushed me out the barn door and I had to correct him. He did a little dance after I mounted him and I had to circle him a couple of times. He pawed the ground. Meeting the two horses at the tub just added to the excitement.

This is the second time I have ended up in the snow (see Faster than a Speeding Bullet) and it's the second time he has run after a group of horses. I am actually thankful that I fell off before he took off after the other two horses. But the fact that this event is so similar to the last time I fell off has made a solution to this situation a high priority. I don't want to be dumped on the ground - it's harder than snow! CH and the new boarder think I am one tough lady! They are 10 years younger than I am and can't believe my resilience - sometimes is pays to be round! RB had an interesting comment....he said that the only time he sees Gem running is when it's away from me!!! :-) I will have to discuss options with LA when I see her for my lesson this week. In the meantime, I have my leg elevated with an ice pack on it to keep the swelling down. Where did I put my vodka soda?????

What was I thinking.....?