I know folks are not happy with the speed I have brought Milton along. I can’t say that I am thrilled with it either. I thought it would go better. I’ve done this before, with an OTTB who had far less retraining than Milton. As for why it didn’t, that is a topic for another post, or the rest of the blog.
The point is we are here. These are the horses we have. This is the rider we have. Barring crisis, none of us are going anywhere.
There are days when I feel bulletproof. I can get on strange horses. I can scorch a jump-off. I can blow around the show ring to the extent that Coach Courtney has to remind me, ‘This is not a chariot race.’
Other days, not so much with the Kevlar. I can barely get on Sam. I fret over crossrails. I dread … well, everything.
On the days when the weenie is strong, all I want to do is walk. I feel like the stereotypical little old lady who potters around, wasting the abilities of her fancy horse. Except in my case, I have two nice horses. The voices are loud on such days.
Stop. This is not a productive way of thinking.
If my current mood is that I only want to get on and walk, well then, I will get on and walk. I can’t do anything about who I am, anymore than I can do anything about who the horses are. Modify? Sure. Improve? Hopefully. Change the basic nature of? Not gonna happen.
In my lucid moments, I know the weenie days come and go. We will ride in the 2′ jumper class. It may take until next year. So be it.
Me: You had trouble keeping your marbles on the table at the last show [Mid-South].
Milton: It was a very exciting place. I got very excited.
Me: This is the second time you have done well in the lead up and then gone to the show and lost your shit.
Milton: What can I say. I sensitive.
Me: We want you to feel more comfortable at shows.
Milton: That sounds good.
Me: We want you to feel more confident at shows.
Milton: That sounds good, too.
Me: Therefore, you are going to have to work a lot harder at home.
Milton: Wait, what?
Me: Our prep schedules have not worked for you.
Milton: Well, it certainly wasn’t MY fault.
Me: Therefore we will need to change what we do to get you ready.
Milton: …
Me: You know what they say. Don’t work until you get it right. Work until you can’t get it wrong.
Milton: I never say that.
Me: We want you to practice a movement, for example a canter transition, 100 times. Then when you get to a new place, you can worry about the new place, but you won’t have to worry about the movement.
Milton: 100 times? (Fans self with hoof.)
Me: We will also be presenting you with small challenges at home.
Milton: Challenges?
Me: Think of them as puzzles to solve. Once you will learn to face small challenges, um, puzzles, you will be better equipped to cope with a big challenge, er, puzzle.
Milton: So all of this new work is because of three bad canter transitions?
Me: Yup.
Milton: Hmm. Can I have a redo?
Rodney, breaking in: Excuse me, can I ask a question?
Me: Sure.
Rodney: Why am I working hard?
Me: New house rules.
Rodney: Milton screws up and suddenly I am long-lining four times a week?
Me: Basically, yes.
Rodney, turns to Milton: Dude, we need to talk.
Schooling Show (Hunter/Jumper) El Gezira Riding Academy
Harpersville, AL, USA
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Non-compete
A surprise horse show experience! Milton’s first h/j show. My first in over a decade.
Change of Plans
A rainy Saturday morning put our scheduled schooling in jeopardy. So, while the horses digested their breakfast, we went over to check out a local show. We had been to the farm many times with Previous Horse, but that was years ago. We wanted to make sure they hadn’t added an alligator-filled moat around the arena.
The show was small. The atmosphere was relaxed. The weather was gorgeous. The ground was squishy. Since the show was just around the block – or 15 miles, out here, that qualifies as around the corner – might as well go back and get Milton. Standing around the show was going to be the best use of the day.
We arrived. Milton lunged. I got on. We stood. Walked over to warm up. Stood. Walked back to the side of the ring. Stood. I got off to give my knees a break. A brief rain squall sent us all scurrying into the covered arena to wait it out. Near the end of the show, I got back on. After the show, we schooled in the arena.
Report Card Minuses
– As we were tacking up to long line, Milton pulled back, broke his leadrope before I could get to him, and ran across the show grounds, bucking merrily. It was either a horse suddenly coming around the corner or a car passing on driveway. On the up side, no one wondered why we were there to school after that.
– He got fussy about standing at one point. One explanation is that he was bored/over it. Another is that the horse and rider in the ring were not having a harmonious ride. Milton does not like tension anywhere near him. If we yell at Rodney, Milton gets upset. Perhaps the horse in the ring was sending out I’m Not Happy signals. Your guess is as good as mine.
– When we were sheltering from the rain, Milton thought the rain on the tin roof was the weirdest noise he had ever heard. His run-in shed has a tin roof. Then, he took violent exception to an attack tree outside of the ring. Kinda glad I wasn’t on him at that point.
– When we were schooling, I asked for the canter. Didn’t get it. We’ve been having trouble with our canter transitions since our freestyling at Mid-South [Hanging With The Saddlebros]. It’s not just me. He’s less reliable on the longlines as well.
– Of course, part of it is me. At one point, he landed from a jumplet, cantered off, and tossed his head. I shut it down immediately, without waiting to see if it was a simple head toss or a precursor to worser.
Report Card Pluses
+ As we walked toward the mounting block, I got the sense that Milton was a) having a big time & b) trying hard to keep it together.
+ He stood excellently. He had his ears up, studying & absorbing everything around him. When I saw him looking at a trailer in the driveway, I walked him away from the trailer and over to his minion. I thanked Milton for telling me about it and letting me handle it.
+ We jumped a whole passel of little fences. We did four jumps several times each, as they deconstructed the course around us. Started with crossrails; moved up to one-foot verticals. Milton was game for it, but required much hoof holding. There was jumps here and jumps there, and people, and dogs, and piles of poles, and jumps near the rail … and … and …
+ Fortunately stuffing encouraging a horse over low fences is a skill I’m actually good at. I once jumped George [photo] around a 3′ course, which is akin to dancing with a tractor. Milton did all his jumps. Mainly trotting. We cantered one fence that was the second in a line.
Summary
+/- He behaved admirably. I wish our victories were higher up the scale than standing at a horse show.
Watching the neighbors.
Update: The horse Milton objected to in the ring was the same horse he may have spooked at. At least he’s consistent. Maybe he’s a breedist.
Ascending oxer. His mouth is open because his mouth is always open. He is always “Talking.” Milton has many opinions that he feels the need to express. The lines back to the handler are actually loose.
Also this one. Measured 2″1″. This is the height we will need for the Falcon Hill Farm jumper show that is not a goal [Aspirational Events]. Alas, lunging rather than riding. Riding jump height is currently half this. At least we know he can clear it. Gotta start somewhere.
Rodney Jenkins, that is. Rodney-the-horse is named after Mr. Jenkins. As a rule, I’m not crazy about copying someone else’s name. It lacks creativity. However, I had a horse whose name started with R-O- (Roscoe) and a desperate desire to change our luck [Repost, BTE 6 of 9: Back To Square One]. Magical thinking? Moi?
Sun Shirts – Joining The New Millenium
I was so so taken with the show shirt [Surprise], that I splashed out on two more sun shirts for schooling.
Blue Tailored Sportsman [No website? Google is only giving me retailers.]. Same-color, ventilated sleeves. The medium was a better fit, but the store only had the pretty deep blue in large.
Hibiscus R.J. Classics, Ella Ladies’ Schooling Shirt. Ventilated & decorated back & sleeves. Large. Medium was a little too form fitting. R.J. Classic sleeves are longer, if this is a chronic problem for you as it is for me. Update. To clarify, the sleeves are FINALLY long enough for me. Almost every shirt I own is an inadvertent 3/4 sleeve. The idea of sleeves being too long is so foreign that it never crossed my horizon. YMMV
Britches – The Clean Pants Problem
Saddle seat jodhpurs are only worn during lessons. It is easy to keep track of the condition of the available pants. I have plenty of time to wash and air dry a dirty pair.
Hunter/jumper britches are worn at home. I do barn work in them. They get spotted and stained. I have to plan ahead in order to have a clean pair for lessons, particularly since I can’t toss them in the dryer if I forget.
Coach Molly and I are still at the clean pants & shiny boots stage of our relationship. I’m sure standards will slide. OTOH, I doubt they will decay to the condition of my britches when I’m riding in the backyard.
Upshot of all this was that I need more schooling britches.
Moss Green George Morris (Website?) Britches.
While I’m not a fan of how Mr. Morris turned hunter equitation from a development league for our jumper riders into a destination, these were the only available alternative to boring tan. Principles versus aesthetics.
Size 28, which I haven’t worn for a while, which would indicate size inflation, which would be ironic given Mr. Morris well-published attitude toward heavier riders.
. Boot Socks – Can Never Have Too Many, Well Theoretically One Could, But It’s Going To Be A While Before I Get There.
No matter how many I accumulate, I never seem to be able to put my hands on a pair. Ovation® Zocks™
Procedural notes.
As with the show shirt [Surprise], this is a look-what-I-did post, not an review nor an endorsement of these item or brands. I am the diametric opposite of a shopasaurus. I loathe every aspect of the process. I went to a place I trust, Carousel Tack Shoppe. These items were available. They solved my problems. Done. I realize this is not the best way to save money. OTOH, it saves my time and sanity.
Neither do I have any affiliate arrangements. Links provided to satisfy my need for order.
Virtual Brush Box 