New Tank Syndrome with Rodney

Since Rodney did more work than Milton last week, he goes first in the posts.

Rodney remains Very Excited about being in a new place [Weekend Voyages]. Therefore, we worked on an exercise that is Very Easy for him.

During the week, we went over our Stand, which has been going well for him lately [Switching Horses]. For this, I sit on the mounting block, Rodney stands next to it. Then, I get on. Rodney continues to stand. He nailed it. Twenty minutes unmounted, ten minutes mounted. Did an outstanding impression of a happy statue. The only reason I stopped was running out of time or daylight. The photo is from our practice at home. None from SSF. Once again, I forgot to take a picture in medias res.

Over the weekend, we shipped back to Stepping Stone Farm. I hauled the mounting block up to the big ring and took a seat. He stood. I sat. He fussed. We sat/stood a while longer. I sat on him. He walked off. We walked. I got off. Sat. He stood. On. Off. Stand. Sit. Walk. And so on. And so on. The tiniest bit of work at the walk and a few steps of walking on a long rein.

When I think about how this sounds from the POV of the average person who rides regularly, I feel slow and stupid. When I think about the progress we made since last week, I feel like a brilliant horse trainer. The reality is probably somewhere in between.

In the category of Horses As Individuals, Rodney does not have Milton’s preferences for the different rings at SSF. Milton feels safe in the covered, enclosed small ring; comfortable in the fenced-in big ring; and not at all comfortable outside of the ring. Rodney doesn’t seem to care. Little ring, big ring, it’s all the same. He is much more occupied with scoping out the new place and the residents. I have not ridden him outside the ring yet, but I suspect it would be the same.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott