Victory!

I didn't ride on Saturday, because I couldn't get out of bed. Friday - all day - was our annual golf tournament. No one told me that it was as long of a day as it turned out to be. I knew I would be there from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. -- which is not ideal, but would have been fine, minus the 90* heat, and humidity. I got home at 7:45 p.m. got in the shower, called my boyfriend and pretty much went straight to bed. I had planned to get up by 6 to go ride. 

I couldn't do it. I slept until 8, took another shower, and was on the road by 8:45 or so. But we had things to do later in the morning, so I was thinking, well maybe I'll ride around 4:30 or 5. It should cool off, it's before her dinner, and before she goes out for the night. I even asked my boyfriend if he would go with me and take some pictures. He said sure, after jokingly telling me I should figure out how to take riding shots myself. We ended up watching a movie and taking a 2-hour nap. Oops. It was about 6 when we woke up, lol. I decided to go hang out with her for a bit before they turned her out. Good thing I didn't have my heart set on riding that late, since she was finishing her dinner when I walked into the barn. 

I spent a little while grooming her, cleaned up her crusty back legs - not sure if it was dried sweat or if she's peeing on herself. I have a feeling it's the former. Yuck, either way. And then spent a few minutes cuddling and rubbing her face. It would have been more enjoyable had there not been two people standing in the aisle griping about things going on in the barn. I think it would have been more appropriate for them (considering they work for the barn owner mucking, etc) to leave the aisle so that a boarder wouldn't overhear them. No such luck. So I cut my time short because I got tired of listening to them. 

Yesterday, I was at the barn just after 9 a.m. to ride. I guess the lessons were cancelled for Mother's day, because I was all alone. It was quiet, and peaceful. She wasn't outstanding, but didn't do anything bad. In fact, she was pretty lazy until we cantered. But, she was stiff and didn't want to give or bend. I suppose it's my own fault for breaking the schedule we had going. 

After we cantered, I decided we were both hot and sweaty enough and could pretty much call it a day. While I was walking her to cool her out, I decided to try something we used to work on a lot, that I unfortunately don't often give much thought: steering with my body. I dropped my reins to the wither pad to keep them from sliding down her neck, put my hands on my hips to keep them out of the way, and worked on circles, diagonal lines and serpentines using only my ability to turn my body in the saddle, my weight, my eyes and my legs. At first, she was pretty bad, and I had to bump her a bit with my reins to actually get a turn. But after a few minutes, it seemed to come back to her, and I was able to have her walk a straight diagonal from one corner of the arena to the opposite by turning from my waist up, holding the destination with my eyes, bumping her lightly with my outside leg, and dropping my weight slightly into the inside stirrup. We'd walk the diagonal, and I'd turn to the corner to complete the short end of the arena, then do a half-circle to the inside and go back the other way, etc. 

When I finally stopped her, I dropped my stirrups for a second, and then decided to ask for just one more thing: let's cross the water. I picked up my stirrups again, and held the reins loose, just above the buckle. I had contact, but not much - and I tried to keep it that way. 

I don't know if it was my Mother's Day gift, or if I've actually, finally, gotten through to her...we had to halt a few times to regroup and relax, but after some coaxing, and some hard squeezes with my legs, she walked through the water, up the trail to the bridge and a small clearing (further than we've gone before), then turned and came back. I didn't have to dismount, didn't have a stick or anything. 

It was a great way to end the ride.