If it didn't happen to me today, I would never have believed it. For starters I need to say this past week and a little more I have been riding bareback getting my balance, position, and such pulled together so I am working in harmony with Shadow. Past week I ave been riding ever style I know. Really did work us well, and hard since we both need to get in shape. Yesterday I worked a smidgeon on cross country and well Shadow hasn't jumped in almost over a year so I was going to call it quites for the week and work on our dressage today....but that wasn't his plan.
I put my halter on after trumping through knee high grasses to Shadow and Jax, and rode to the pond. Jax followed and then dove into the pond ahead of Shadow. Shadow sat on the edge and pawed at it playfully splashing his belly and me. At one point I had a horrific feeling I might be stomach high in icy cold water soon as my horse swam, but it didn't happen luckily. Finally getting to the trailer I tacked up my dusty horse and hit the trails. Spent hours away from home, warmed up and Shadow rounded on the bit, he extended and collected in the walk, trot, and canter easily. Bent well through my legs and did some amazing transitions. I was left feeling useless. Then, to my amazement, Shadow spooked. He hasn't spoked in, god only knows how long. I rode through his quick fronthand turned and then realized why. Shadow's least favorite guest had just nipped his back fetlock. He lunged out after Bo, quickly biting the dog on the butt. Bo ran onto the other property in such a haste that he didn't duck for the barb wire fence and yelp while going through it. Normally I would be upset, Bo is just a deliquent who insisted leanring the hard way.
Still partially in my euphoric trance, I decide I will try my luck with a jump I had partially cleared. As of then it stood that it was an extremely hard angle to the jump with a land and almost immediate turn. Avoiding the trees and low branches, we cleared the two foot high tree that laid horizontally and then turned...the wrong direction. I didn't know how it happened but we were now in a ravine higher than my head and Shadow was taking himself towards something that petrified me. I didn't have the time to puzzle I was faced with a problem. It looked like a dirt wall, and I couldn't find any fingers to the creek to run up. I sat and pulled back..."oh that is why he turned wrong," my bit slid slowly out of his mouth onto my left rein. He spat sending it at me, but not taking the hint I wanted to slow down. I have a small feeling his calusterphobia had gotten the better of him as my knees scrapped dirt off the walls. Shadow cut right quickly, slamming my leg into the muddy side, and then took the wall in two steps. He struck about half way with his front and then his back sending him over the top, like a mountain goat. The truth about the wall is it was about 5 feet and a half I had to check afterwards. I was in awe as we crested and I was in the motion, thanks to a week of killing my thighs and abs. Shadow finally relaxed enough to listen to my aids and slowly came to a walk. I took the scenic route home, taking about 30 minutes to do so. Shadow was proud of himself and probably elated ot be back in open spaces, prancing half the way. I must say he isn't in the shape to jump much let alone something so large to him. I got the the trailer and patted his dry sweat stained neck and untacked him. Threw my bridle in my truck (still need to fix it, the hole gave out and being an ancient bridle I knew it was coming one of these days.) and left my horse hang out "naked" as I neglected to put a halter on until after I hooked the trailer up. Loaded my mom's horsem then Shadow telling him, "no more adventures, alright?" and headed home. First thing Shadow did in his stall was go to sleep, ignorig his grain, which for any horse is odd, no exception for him.
Again, felt as if I shoudl share even though it incriminates me a bit for being a slightly pathetic rider. stare The bridle well I should have used my other. This one I bought from someone years ago when I first received Shadow. It is well over ten years and whoever had it first never took very good care of it. Shadow will be doing nothing but walking tomorrow, probably 3-4 times for 20-30 minutes depending on how much I can get out. I have him in a small paddock so he can move about, but he is probably laying down snoozing.
