Note: I wrote this on Tuesday as a companion piece to Wednesday’s post [Universe]. In real time, I’m starting to get a handle on the monkeys. However, I have no doubt they will start screaming again. Therefore, I’m letting this post stand.
After everything that has happened with Rodney, being bucked off Milton first move out of the gate has done nothing to ease the howling vortex that is the inside of my head.
Common wisdom says get right back on the horse.
Screw common wisdom.
The only chance of success is if I go at my own speed. Whatever that is. If that means seven months of lunging and horse petting, so be it. If that means riding next weekend, so be it. If that means I develop an unreasonable fixation against Milton requiring that he be rehomed, so be it.
Mostly I’m trying convince myself.
Everyone has been wonderfully encouraging and supportive. Doesn’t help. No matter who from. No matter how well the person knows me. No matter how much I respect that person’s opinion. No amount of external noise will drown out the internal voice that says You Suck.
I need to make peace with that voice before I can make progress.
Readers may have noted a lack of Miltonicity in the recent posts. There’s a reason. I rode last weekend. It did not go well.
One …
Two …
Three …
Immediately after the third photo, Milton kicked the barrel, had a complete cow, and dumped me. I held on long enough to have a nice crashing fall as a result. I was able to try a bit of course correction, but he was having none of it.
My ever-patient groundperson blames the saddle. We are two for two on horses having passionate fits while wearing it [Square One]. Causation or coincidence? Although it served me well for years with Previous Horse, the saddle is older than the flood. It’s possible that something has gone wrong internally that is only evident when a rider’s weight is added. He points out that I did not see Milton galloping around the field trying to buck it off.
I, of course, blame myself and am threatening to take up Tiddlywinks.
Practical details:
I’m fine. Stiff for a few days but fine.
Helmet has been replaced. A required feature of today’s helmets.
Saddle has been permanently retired.
This was not how this was supposed to go.
Later note: as I post these photos, I see that a) I should have had shorter reins but b) this does not look like a horse a heartbeat away from flipping his pancakes.
It’s that time. Again. Rodney did not show last year. Again. Therefore I have a chance to chose a new show name. Again. Rodney needs an updated Coggins & Milton needs one that says he lives here.
They have had a week to compare notes thru the bars. Today was the meet&greet. We tried to arrange so this would occur in open, neutral ground. Only moderate success. First contact came amid a small stand of trees. Squealing and front leg curling. We shooed them out to a clear area of the pasture. Milton trooped after Rodney. As far was we can tell, Milton went over to say hi. Rodney dealt Milton a meaty thunk to the chest. Whereupon, Milton spun around. There was a brief intermeshing of hind legs. When they separated, Rodney sported a hoof-shaped scrape on his gaskin. (The upper fleshy part of the hind leg. A nice, squishy spot. Not a fragile, bony spot.)
Apparently the big bully has a glass hindquarter and can’t take a punch. Milton was not aggressive. He just wasn’t taking any shit. Rodney spent the rest of the morning avoiding Milton’s overtures, friendly or otherwise. By afternoon, there was mutual backscratching. Also squeals and thumps.
We have closed off the pen for the nonce. That way no one (Rodney) will get trapped. Therefore, during the brief rainstorm they had to shelter under the trees. Sometimes it sucks to be a horse.
Milton
I have had more than one person ask, Is he rideable? That is the plan. But then, that was the plan four years ago, so I can understand their hesitation.
Milton has enough style to do hunters at a local level and enough movement to get nice scores in the dressage phase of eventing. He doesn’t have hunter or dressage as a full-time career choice, but then neither do I. How high he can go in jumpers will depend on how he feels about jumps and speed and turn-and-burn. Even low-level jumpers courses are good practice for stadium. Because…
Everything about this horse screams “suitable for eventing”. We shall see how he feels about banks and ditches and water. I’m predicting he will either love it or at least tolerate it enough to be happy at Novice & Training & and maybe one Prelim as a bucket-list item.
And wouldn’t that be lovely.
Milton doesn’t have Rodney’s gobsmacking good looks, but – cross fingers – he will make up for it with a level head. Yes, Rodney really is that gorgeous. If I’m going to hit my head against a wall, it might as well be a wall made out of gold bricks. However, if my goal is to compete, better a 7 mover in the ring than a 9 in the pasture.
Above, Milton models the second Milton-specific purchase, his new bridle. The first was a white bucket wherein to carry his meals to the barn. Rodney’s is green. Mathilda’s was blue and is buried with her. The bit is Previous Horse’s old dressage bit. Dunno what Milton will ultimately be comfortable with, but this one is big and soft and a good place to start.
Looks like the browband will be a problematic fit. Oh well, Milton is likely to get the hand-made, custom bridle that I canceled for Rodney.
Rodney
Rodney will continue on his quest to wherever he is going. Nothing says I can’t take two horses to the AEC. It has been suggested that Rodney might even benefit from not being the center of all my emotional energy.
Saddle Seat
Staying with, kinda. I will finish out this show season, with possibly another shot at National Academy. After that, I will show enough next year to complete an ASHA awards program. The points have to be earned three years in a row. If I stopped now, I’d have to start all over again. After that, adieu equitation.
However, I will continue with weekly lessons at Stepping Stone, with more of an emphasis on performance. The specifics are different, but learning to concentrate with an ASB will help me to concentrate with the TBs.
Plus, it will still be good for me to get out of the house among the three-dimensional people.
Blog
Well, I needed content [Idea Request Accompanied by Barrel-Scraping Noises]. Now I have 16.1 hands of content. OTOH, I may get so caught up in playing with the new content that the blog wanders off. That wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Virtual Brush Box 