Nerves Update, April 2016

I can stop questioning my nerves. They won’t get better until I ride or come to terms with Rodney &/or Milton. As long as those two remain gorgeous and useless, I will feel like a failure, which will erode my confidence, which will increase my anxiety. Simple as that.

Nerves – at least my nerves – compound themselves. Granted horses can always be dangerous. Hence the helmet. Given that, why am I such a mess before lessons and shows? I am doing three simple gaits on a reliable school horse in a contained environment. Why am I so damn nervous? What can I do to stop being so damn nervous? When does it get easier?

I have tried to fix the nerves with books [Show Report], self talk [Banishing the F-word, Embrace the Day], and professional help [And So We Leave Behind the Sports Psychology Adventure]. I have pondered the problem [too many links to list].

Despite all this, nerves are not getting better. If anything, they are gradually getting worse. At the last show [Report], I was so wound up before my classes that someone seriously suggested I look into anti-anxiety medicine. (I did. Only treats symptoms.) OTOH, I am usually in the first few classes. Waiting until the middle of the afternoon gave me way too much time to stew.

Then, at my most recent lesson, I was a stellar mess beforehand and – more troubling – I did not settle down once I started riding. Usually, I am okay once I get going [ibid]. OTOH, I rode a horse I have not ridden in a while, using a different saddle, in a group lesson. Each of these factors stresses my comfort level, so the combination of the three may have been a one-off in terms of nerves.

Although they rear their ugly, pointy heads there, I think my nerves have nothing to do with the kind horses and the nice people at the Saddlebred barn.

Why am I so damn nervous? Because of the home team.
What can I do to stop being so damn nervous? Fix the home team.
When does it get easier? When the home team gets fixed.

I’m not saying this is a healthy outlook, just the one I have to work with.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Milton’s Progress, April 2016

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Other than the fact that I am not riding and that Milton has hysterics when he wears a saddle, he is doing very well.

Grooming 🙂 😦 ?
The ground tie is still a work in progress [Milton 2.0]. He doesn’t leave, but he doesn’t stand still. He’ll shift his weight. He’ll move one hoof. He’ll refuse to move the hoof back. The attitude is, ‘I’ll do it, but don’t expect me to like it.’

The attitude extends to brushing. When I approach him with a brush, he’ll flinch and shift his weight away from me, see above, as if he dislikes being touched. Then, he’ll relax and sigh and yawn. The time from I-hate-it to I-love-it is getting shorter.

He continues to pin his ears and chew at the same time. Deeply strange. We think his forehead hair whorls [Swirls] get rotating in different directions, creating consternation in the brain beneath.

Tire 🙂 !
Milton took another step toward a driving horse career [What Are You Driving At?]. We attached a tire to set of training traces. Greg walked at the head, I held a rope arranged so that the tire would slip off at the first sign of distress. Milton was a star. We stopped and started a few times. He thought it was weird. It was. Greg remember that both Coach Courtney and Coach Kate advise always going forward in a cart. As long as the horse is moving, problems can be addressed. So, Greg walked Milton straight across the ring on the second go. Milton had a tiny hump in his back. I prepared to let loose the tire. We reached the rail in peace. After that, meh, no big deal. Pulled the tire. Turned a corner. Had the traces touch him on the hocks. Walked around the ring. Old pro. He could have been excused for taking five training sessions to get as far as he did in five minutes. Milton learns fast and is very accepting about doing his job. Other than that one time …

Pictures when he has done it more than once.

Saddle 😦
It had been a while, so Greg lunged Milton with saddle. Walk. Fine. Trot. Fine. Canter? Engage hissy fit. Objectively, it wasn’t severe. He’s done worse [Universe, Boomerang]. I’ve ridden worse. Anyone with the ability – or inclination – to sit a buck would manage. Subjectively? No, thank you. My bulletproof vest is in the wash. We remain on the truck -> cowboy trajectory. [Back at the Ranch]

Outlook on Life 🙂
Despite all the ear and ‘tude [Moods], Milton makes it clear that he wants to be loved on.
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Gratuitous Dog Cartoon

PLUMDOG BLOG

Plum posts a weekly, illustrated online diary. Dog antics with beautiful watercolors.

The assist goes to Picture Book Theology: Theological Statements for Young Children #6 for introducing me to Plum.
~~~
Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Leg Lessons

Saddle Seat Wednesday

To punish us for sins in a previous life, Stepping Stone Farm gives leg lessons. An amenable schoolhorse trots the inner perimeter of the small covered ring while the rider posts without stirrups, reaches arms overhead, assumes the Flying Angel of Death (a modified, hands-free two-point), and so on. Instructor stands in the middle, encouraging the horse to keep moving as needed. They are called leg lessons because many of the exercises focus on leg strength. They are essentially lunge-line lessons without the lunge line.

Leg Lesson Type A
A is for analysis. These are the lessons when we deconstruct my position. Why do I do that funky thing with my right hand? Because my weight is twisted to the left. Why do I tighten my shoulders when I rise to post? Because I am still subconsciously half-assing my posting [Back to Basics]. Why can I keep my form at the canter but not at the trot? And so on.

Position problems do not happen in isolation. Correcting a minor equitation flaw usually has a larger impact elsewhere. For example, drawing my shoulders back presents a better picture, but more importantly sinks the weight into my knees. I like these lessons. Lots of talking and thinking. Horses like these lessons. Lots of talking while they stand around playing couch.

Leg Lesson Type B
B is for boo hiss. Analysis is a useful skill. Too much analysis is not. To work on my ability to ride from instinct, I don’t talk during these sessions. I do the same exercises, minus the pondering. From the time I get on to the time I dismount, I say nothing. No questions. No snide comments. Nothing. Aaaaaagggggg.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

SSF logo

Rodney’s Progress, April 2016

Grooming 🙂 😦
Ground ties. Stands like a rock. Shifts weight to put down the hind foot when I work on that side. Rodney is so good about grooming that I get surprised – and yes, frustrated – when he suddenly flings his head up in the air. He remains intermittently head-shy about brushes near his face [Head Games]. Towels are fine. Seems silly to me, but I don’t get to make that decision.

Hills 🙂
Coping well with walks & hills [Hillwork]. Very well. During our last hill set, Rodney expressed himself in a NSFW manner. He has a habit of displaying his Happy Meter [Taste Vs. Authenticity]. He often does so during grooming. He LOVES his weave poles, even when he’s not hitting on me [Speciesism]. This is the first time he has done this during something he considers work. There was a time when hills were a source of hysteria [Explosion].

Rodneywork 🙂
Coach Kate [Lesson, photo] suggested ground driving close enough to touch the horse. She meant the occasional pat or tap with a stick, as one would with a normal horse. I have modified this to something between ground driving and body work. I’ll drive Rodney with my outside hand – no glove – resting on his butt. If he cuts in, I’ll reach out to shove him over. The contact from my hands seems to address Rodney’s bottomless need for reassurance.

Riding, or Not 😦
We had one brilliant, calm, relaxed ride [View from the Top]. Then he went back to having issues. Okay, but edgy. I tried several more times. I fiddled with tack [Headgear Adventures]. I stopped. So, I have not been riding, or even sitting on him. I’m waiting for winter to stop faffing about and finally go away. Rodney does better in the warm.

Previous progress report was in February. [Rodney’s Progress]
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Gratuitous Prize Idea

color towels

A local dog show had color-coded towels as prizes. What a great idea. For a schooling show perhaps? Back in the mists of time, I saw an Appaloosa show do this with plastic cups. Would also work with mugs.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

a

My Elevator Speech

Rodney’s Saga is a personal experience blog about horseback riding and taking care of horses. I expand that to include guest posts, things I have published, and LEGO builds.

RS flyer August 2015

(hands flyer with blog address)

When someone asks about my blog I usually draw a blank, blurt out “Horses” or “My horses,” and then watch their eyes glaze over. So, I have been working on a brief, memorable description. One that I can remember and that will make me memorable.

The name ‘elevator pitch’ reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes. Wiki

What do you think?

Goal
To explain myself, “a simple and engaging speech to explain what you do.” As a bonus, to be sufficiently entertaining that the person addressed will be moved to check out the blog. Crafting an Elevator Pitch

Word Choice
Personal experience – One POV rather than reporting on the horse world.

Horseback – In speech, “riding” and “writing” sound similar. Since we would be talking about blogs, the listener would be conditioned to hear the word “writing.” By using “horseback” as a modifier, I avoid the riDing versus wriTing conversation than I have had way too many times.

Guest posts – wanna do one?

Things I have published – I would rather say “writing clips,” but see above. Sends the subliminal message that I are a professional. Hire me.

LEGO builds. – Establishes my geek cred. Ends on an unexpected note.

This is short, one or two floors at best, which means I have room to add. OTOH, this is a good length for my memory circuits.

Any advice?

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott