After about 10 minutes, we got to the side dirt road and Phoenix started walking normally. We went a lot further today, passing Susan Schaefer and Lisa O'Neil's house to head out to huge dunes. We had to pass by a field with the huge watering systems that sit in the field with dangly hoses and since it was windy and Phoenix had never seen one before, she flipped out when I tried to walk by it. She kept turning and backing up and crow hopping, and realizing that it was the best thing to do, I dismounted and led Phoenix past the scary monster and I worked on having her respect me by backing her up and having her walk behind or beside me instead of running ahead.
Eventually I was able to remount and Phoenix and I continued on trotting further through the desert until we crossed a main road that led to the big sand dunes. I let Phoenix trot up the large dunes and walk down them because I knew she would try to go too fast down and she was getting too tired to want to canter up them. Since I didn't have all day, after a few dunes I decided to start heading back since I wasn't sure if Phoenix would try to pull some of the same stunts on the way home as she did on the way out.
I took Phoenix out of the dunes and let her lope on the side of them in the flat desert. I continuously checked her because she was pulling a lot at the bit, but I let her continue loping until a little ways before the big scary ag waterer. Surprisingly, Phoenix totally ignored it and was fine. I slowed her to a trot for a little ways and once we turned back onto the dirt road leading to the ranch, I let Phoenix out into a lope again.
When we arrived back at the ranch, I untacked my slightly sweaty girl and hosed her off so the sweat didn't cake onto her coat. While Phoenix was drying out, I put away the lose horses in the arena back into stalls and got our English bridle with the full cheeked snaffle out. When Phoenix was dry enough, I slipped her bridle on and we went into the arena for some bareback work while I waited for my mom to pick me up.
Overall, Phoenix did well and listened, though she still likes to brace a lot. I wanted to work on bareback riding with her to help build up my leg strength, fix my riding position, and work with Phoenix on giving to the bit. I had taken her on our trail ride in a shanked snaffle with a curb chain, and though it gives me assurance that I have control, it's a little too much bit for her, but my girl doesn't listen well enough in her snaffle to take her on trail rides out in the county yet.
I hopped on my girl (literally) and we got to work on some basic flatwork and then our problematic barrel turns. She still braced a lot but I worked on adding more leg pressure and helping her to learn where to rate. Hopefully Phoenix and I will get it down eventually (we do have all summer).
My fail for the day was when I was working Phoenix on barrel turns and after one of our turns, I lost my balance and fell sideways on my girl a little. Luckily she slowed down to a stop so I could fall forward onto her neck and then correct myself haha. I guess we all have those moments.
When my mom arrived at the ranch to pick me up, since Phoenix wasn't hot because we hadn't been working to hard and she had no other tack on than her bridle, I dismounted and walked into her stall with her willingly following behind me (I love when she does that). When she got into her stall, she drank a bunch of water while I took off her bridle and closed up the tack room.
I can't wait to continue developing Phoenix's skills and becoming a better team with her. I know she can compete well in high school rodeo if we work hard at fixing some of our problems over the summer and continue getting more comfortable and trusting of eachother. We might've had a rough beginning, but I'm so glad that I ended up buying my crazy girl. She surprises me and teaches me something new each day.
No comments:
Post a Comment