BTB: High winds, high adrenalin! (video) |  |
| High winds, high adrenalin! (video) Posted: 20 Feb 2011 12:33 PM PST
Midway through our lesson, we were coming around the short side of the ring, and Ri (who had actually seemed pokey that morning) was losing energy. I whacked him smartly with the whip, which is normally no big deal. His reaction took me by surprise -- he bucked and took off at a hand gallop. I sat up and pulled back, first with my fingers and then with my elbows. I had zero control-- we weren't careening, he wasn't wild-eyed, it wasn't quite a "bolt." I feel Ri was making a point in the only way he knew how -- Lose the whip, you lulu. We went down the long side and around the corner. Now I tuned into my trainer, who never lost her upbeat, encouraging tone even as we galloped around. I think she saw what I was now starting to feel, which was that Riley settling, and that for once, he was offering me a balanced left lead canter. Her words: "You got your forward -- now ride it like you want it!" I closed my fingers on the reins and touched his belly with my ankles, and Ri-Ri shifted his weight back -- he was still pissed off but now he was nicely forward, cantering straight, and listening. We made a couple more laps of the ring (first time I'd held a canter more than one lap!). The rest of the ride went really well, with Riley nicely between my leg and hand. I rode almost 50 minutes and then Olivia got on. Here is footage from her ride. He was a little tired, I think...  |
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