At least two days a week I ride at 5:30 in the morning. It's the only time I have those days to ride, I've done it for years, it's just like some people going to the gym before work…only I go to the barn before work. It's a good thing I work at a horse clinic and not a place that requires a dressy appearance. Anyway over the years I've had different people join me at 5:30 am, it seems they ride for a "season" and then I'm by myself again. I don't mind it either way.
This week I had a friend join me (L). Her horse, Rose, is 6 but is early in its training. So on this day she decided to lunge Rose in the arena while I was riding. She was in the middle and I was on the edges. All was going well. Rose was giving her a bit of a challenge but it seemed controllable. Zoe was learning how to pay attention to me and not wonder about what Rose was doing. Zoe was doing pretty good. So I decided to just hang out at the top end of the arena and do figure 8s, collected, with a non-posting trot. Suddenly here comes Rose, loose, running around us. Apparently Rose bucked, reared, pulled and got away from L. So the horse, being a herd animal, ran for the "comfort" of the only other horse in the arena. Zoe was not pleased. It's funny…Zoe says she's the older, more sensible horse, and "why doesn't this young horse behave itself???" That's Zoe's attitude, but I remember when Zoe was that irresponsible, young, impulsive horse-and she would have done the same thing-might even try it at 12 too. Zoe almost kicked out at Rose, but I stopped her. I almost came unseated, but regained my seating pretty easily. Now we had 2 horses going in circles around each other with a lunge rope dragging on the ground-who knows where on the ground? All this time L never said anything-didn't hear a "watch out" or "loose horse". I, on the other hand, was very vocal…I had some harsh "whoa's" and "knock it off" coming out of my mouth. When I regain my seat, I was then concerned about the lunge rope. If it twirled around the horses legs, might it cause one of them to stumble potentially causing me to really come off? I got Zoe stopped and then Rose stopped. I was wondering where the lunge rope was when L came and picked it up and I could see it was just in-between the horses, not wrapped around anyone's legs. Phew. Adrenalin was still pumping in my veins and before L could do anything with the lunge line I said "wait, just give it a minute to calm down"…probably said it harshly too. So we had a few seconds to defuse the situation. I side passed Zoe away from Rose. Rose tried to follow. I tapped Rose with my whip as L pulled Rose towards her. And the whole thing was over. Probably lasted for less than a minute-but was intense. L and Rose went back to the center and continued lunging and I went back to my figure 8s.
Interesting. I was glad Zoe didn't do more to Rose, that I could get Zoe's attention back to me pretty easily. I told L I would like her to do it again with me in the arena. It's good practice for Zoe to not be influenced by another horses attitude, maintain her composure and not blow up. It's good practice for Rose as she will have to eventually work in the arena with other horses. I didn't want L to not try again so I hope she will join me…she said she would.
No comments:
Post a Comment