Milton and I Attend Group Therapy

The Gray Wonder

The sea of legs is the line up from the group lesson at Stepping Stone Farm last Saturday. I counted 10 horses, others swear there were 11. Either way, lots and lots of horses in a little ring. One was excused after the trot, so we “only” cantered 9 (10) at once!!

Highlights
Milton cantered ever time I asked, including the time I got confused and asked for the canter from the walk à la Saddlebreds.

The same horse kept passing him. Milton didn’t like it. By the third time, he said, ‘Oh, it’s you.’

Milton stomped through sketchy footing like the mudder he is not. We even had to make a few tight turns in the mud to get past other horses.

We did a mass reverse at the trot (!). The kids handled the traffic brilliantly. Except for one little white pony who wasn’t having any of it. She refused to turn. We ended up face to face. Milton cut around and kept going.

Rider Flashbacks
The last highlight was a concern of mine. Previous Horse had the habit of rearing and spinning whenever another horse came at him head on. I was told it is a track thing. I was concerned that it would be a Milton track thing. Doesn’t appear to be. Cross fingers.

The odd part is that when the rear/spin would happen with PH, I simply rode it out and told him to get over himself. But then, Previous Horse had a dispensation for bad behavior that I don’t grant to other horses. It was that way from day one. When we tried him at a track barn, his three gaits were walk, jig, & buck. Didn’t faze me. Go figure.

Tortoise Steps (a slightly bigger turtle)
I am learning to tell when Milton is tight in his body &/or anxious in his brain. I don’t know yet if there is a difference between the two for Milton. Previous Horse could be one or the other. Mathilda was more holistic.

Milton is learning that when I tell him ‘it will all be okay’ that maaaaayyyybbbee it will, in fact, all be okay.
~~~
Post 2607. last Tuesday was 2600. We were busy with Art Week.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott