Today I got to go on one of my favorite rides-on the canal trail. A friend has been posting that it is now open and it was great fun to go. There is a section of the trail that Zoe tends to get spooky about. She doesn't - or maybe I should say didn't-PAST TENSE- like the rocks in sections going around bends. But today they were no problem. I didn't want to travel the trail all the way to Sterling Pt. so I turned around and headed back after we finished the rocky section. So Zoe had to deal with all the rocks in reverse. She did good then too. I have been working on scary, spooky things at the barn the past 2 weeks. I wonder if that has helped?
Scary things-lately has been the metal trash cans. Zoe has never liked the metal trash cans, therefore I always tie her by the trash cans and over the years she has learned to tolerate them. But when one of my friends sorts and combines the trash and Zoe happens to be tied there....well...Zoe is not happy. She usually steps back to the end of her lead rope. She doesn't pull back, but you can tell that she is uncomfortable. So I've been playing with the trash cans and she has gotten used to them. While I'm on the ground I can set it next to her, beat it so it's noisy, tip it over, roll it around her, push it under her, roll it up to her front feet and she stands still. While I'm riding I can do the same. However I realized that I can do all of this in the barn isle or in the arena. But when I tie her in the spot by the trash cans...well she isn't as comfortable. So I have to work on these things in that certain spot. Funny how the location makes a difference.
Today Dottie and I were talking about the "should have's" or "should not have's". Those things that we should listen to the little voice inside of us that says-maybe you should change something here. She is recovering from broken ribs and is doing well. Today she was out on Sky, coming home from a ride with Cheryl, and the street sweeper was sweeping the street on Lomida-coming towards her on the opposite side of the street. The little voice said to get off....but instead she stayed on, the sweeper went by, she turned to go and got a lope down Lomida towards home. She was able to get control back and made it home ok. I was on the canal trail and contemplated how to get thru some of the drift wood piles when the little voice said to get off and clear the trail. I didn't and we stumbled thru....made it thru fine but the potential for injury was there-and it would have been better to err on the side of caution to make sure my horse wouldn't be lame. Sometimes I think I'm too cautious...it's an interesting issue. Caution to make sure I'm safe but also remembering that to push thru something can increase confidence for me and my horse. It's a balancing act, each situation can be different-depends on so many things-concerning both the horse and/or the rider and who you are with or by yourself out on the trail. I know I will always have the "should have's" in my life but hopefully I learn from them.
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