Two steps back
Had one of those lessons that made me feel like I took two steps back. Brought Clover to the indoor to do a semi with another student, who has a big, lovely Irish Draught going training this season. The plan was to do some flatwork, practice a dressage test, and have a jumping lesson over some gymnastics.
Did some walk-trot work to warm up, Clover was not as soft in the jaw as the last lesson. She was bracing against my hand. Nevermind I was already pissed at her for running around the paddock when I tried to get her for loading on the trailer. She NEVER runs away when I got to halter her. She was in some kind of a mare mood.
We had some pretty decent centerlines. That much I was happy about. But then we did some canter work, and Clover was going all strung out. Every time I tried a half halt to get her to step under herself and give in the neck and jaw a bit, she would break to the trot. With upped my frustration level to the point where I asked my instructor to hop on Clover and help us push through this issue.
Then what happened was my instructor also took Clover over the gymnastic line we had set up for the second half of the lesson. They went through ok the first time, drifting right, but the second time through, the concussion of landing re-sprained my instructor's back. Badly enough that I had to drive the trailer home (first time fully loaded and on the highway!), and my instructor later went to the ER. That was the end of that lesson! Combine that with a massive snowstorm, and another nor'easter on the way for this weekend, well, I decided to scratch my entry for Evenstride.
I called the organizer to let her know I wouldn't be able to ride (as I'd be managing the farm), and she told me that I was on the wait list anyways, and they're moving it to the following weekend in light of the recent snowfall. And that she'd call me if I get in off the wait list, which is likely since there's a good chance people will scratch.
Did some walk-trot work to warm up, Clover was not as soft in the jaw as the last lesson. She was bracing against my hand. Nevermind I was already pissed at her for running around the paddock when I tried to get her for loading on the trailer. She NEVER runs away when I got to halter her. She was in some kind of a mare mood.
We had some pretty decent centerlines. That much I was happy about. But then we did some canter work, and Clover was going all strung out. Every time I tried a half halt to get her to step under herself and give in the neck and jaw a bit, she would break to the trot. With upped my frustration level to the point where I asked my instructor to hop on Clover and help us push through this issue.
Then what happened was my instructor also took Clover over the gymnastic line we had set up for the second half of the lesson. They went through ok the first time, drifting right, but the second time through, the concussion of landing re-sprained my instructor's back. Badly enough that I had to drive the trailer home (first time fully loaded and on the highway!), and my instructor later went to the ER. That was the end of that lesson! Combine that with a massive snowstorm, and another nor'easter on the way for this weekend, well, I decided to scratch my entry for Evenstride.
I called the organizer to let her know I wouldn't be able to ride (as I'd be managing the farm), and she told me that I was on the wait list anyways, and they're moving it to the following weekend in light of the recent snowfall. And that she'd call me if I get in off the wait list, which is likely since there's a good chance people will scratch.
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