That is how I felt as we rode today.
There was nothing worth seeing, nothing worth watching and certainly nothing worth filming.
I did film, but deleted it.
Our spins were all hip, no shoulder, our stops were mediocre at best, we were just all over the place.
So why?
I knew why before I ever even put the saddle on my horse.
My brain was all over the place. My horses aren't eating their hay anymore. (because it is poor quality hay)
Last night someone parked a beat up old POS car in my arena!
And I found a bucket of 16 penny nails dumped next to a trailer that is parked next to my arena. Technically it is in my arena but not in the arena I have today. The one I am supposed to have and hope to have again.
I was LIVID!
It threw me off kilter, which in turn threw everything else off kilter too.
The nails are gone now. I used a super strong magnet to make sure I got them all.
The car is still there but won't be for too long.
I went and bought better hay.
But my mental state was shot. I wasn't even into the ride and it showed. Trax wasn't really into it either and it really showed.
Besides I was a victim of Equine rule # 387
No matter how good your horse is doing, if you turn on a camera, all forward progress will stop.
One thing I will say though is that I am even more convinced that what I felt the other day was real.
The reason I say this, is because nothing we did today felt the same. It felt wishy washy and when I watched it, it was wishy washy.
What I felt the other day was solid and smooth and unlike anything I had ever felt before on this horse. So I know we will get again, and I am not discouraged.
I know how it goes.
3 steps forward, 1 step back.
Then 3 steps forward again.
We certainly participate in a sometime fail sport . . .
ReplyDeleteoh yes that is sooo true!
DeleteSometimes it is best to stick with groundwork, just lunge them or go for a trail ride and call it good. If you're off kilter before you get on, riding may not bring you back to being centered. Just save it for another day. It's all good.
ReplyDeleteyes that is true, and the day was not a total loss. We still ended on a positive.
DeleteWell the saying goes, "work with the horse who shows up on the day," but it goes equally for yourself too. If the person who shows up on the day is a bit fractured and crabby, then take that person for a nice trail ride instead of doing arena work, or do some other stuff that is easy and fun for you both. :)
ReplyDeleteLike loping circles. :)
DeleteOh yes, don't I know that feeling! Riding is as much a mental game as it is physical. On days like you just described, sometimes it's enough just to hang out with them, brush them, listen to them crunching their feed... and breath that lovely horse smell. Tomorrow is another day.
ReplyDeletewhat the hell??? nails and a car parked in near your arena?? no wonder you wre off your game , I woulda been supremely P o'ed!
ReplyDelete