Fast-Track Day 11 MY RIDE

I wrote today about the day -- wasn't quite ready to write about the ride I had with Fanny.

Well here goes.

Fifty two plus or minus more people came in yesterday -- some Externs, some on the 2 week Behavior and Me Class -- so our total group seems huge. They are staggering the times we are all doing a variety of things, but some times we are all together. This afternoon was one of those times.

Pat was giving a demo for the Make a Wish Foundation. Almost everyone was going -- to support Pat and the Make a Wish Foundation. So there was going to be a huge delegation leaving the grounds EARLY. I decided not to go, but to stay back to ride and PLAY with Fanny. . . (We are not to use the word WORK -- We are to PLAY. -- good attitude) But in the back of my mind we were going to WORK -- I had things to do. FIRST mistake.

Since Fanny hadn't been well, and neither had I the last few days, it was a great opportunity for me to test my NEW attitude and resolve.

The whole ride was a disaster -- a DIRECT LINE ride -- Fanny not listening, I was going to phase 4 way too many times and it not working, using my reins, getting frustruated.

WHY??? Well, let me THINK. We are to FEEL during the day and THINK at night. So I am in bed THINKING why such a bad ride. First of all, I did not PREPARE Fanny adequately for the ride. I put her in the round pen for just a few minutes. She was feeling good, but not really ready to listen well. People were waiting on me. I felt the pressure. So I hopped on Fanny before we were both ready. Then, there were 90 people on the playground instead of my secure little group of 30. My attention deficit disorder (ACTUALLY LACK OF BEING ABLE TO FOCUS with too much stuff around me) kicked in. The third reason it was a BAD ride was I had some TASKS that I wanted to try out -- very Direct Line. . .Very NOT PARTNER. . .

So Fanny and I went to the Honey Comb -- We had been given a demonstration on canter departs. I was having a horrible time getting Fanny to have a canter depart at ANY gait, let alone from a walk. (Now, we KNOW Fanny can canter. . . and her personality is "Ask me correctly and I will do it -- a lot like SOCKS") I had one piece of new information that I hadn't absorbed before. (Note: When the student is ready, the teacher will show up). . .It doesn't mean I had not been told it -- I had not HEARD it. That new piece of information was to have my arms/hands like a Boxer. ONE little technique that works every time for Fanny. She would go from a stand still, a walk, a trot, all if I asked with the correct hand position. We were cantering around the honeycomb and I was laughing and laughing. Yeah -- we have canters. She sped up, so I did an indirect rein to disengage and to slow her down and we started again. We were both having a great time. Then Fanny became much more impulsive -- I was wanting her to think more. . .I wanted her to STOP when I said whoa --She can do that and do it well -- when she is THINKING> So in the middle of the honeycomb I changed the activity. Now, we are going to work on the whoa -- isolate,separate, recombine -- Fanny was NOT listening -- whoa meant nothing -- so I went to Phase 4 and kicked her in the shoulders with the calves of my leg--another technique we were taught . Oops -- she knows that THAT means. Now, she is listening -- WHY was that so bad? Afterall, going to Phase 4 is ok -- YES -- but, I was getting such a good response from Phase 4 -- I kept doing it -- That was INAPPROPRIATE -- I needed to go back to phase 1, slow it down, make sure she understands.


I noticed our instructor JOHN was looking at me. OMG-- I know he is thinking "WHAT a gunsel -- Jo can't do anything right -- I just KNOW that is what he was THINKING !-- Or was that what I was thinking. These new people were looking at me kicking my horse in the shoulders -- What were THEY thinking -- Fanny was understanding clearly that the kick meant to stop, put her butt under her and back up. . . Oh, no -- too much going through my mind. . . Too many people looking, I felt so inadequate. But, here I am. I am in the middle of this playground -- having fun (?) and playing (?) with my horse.

We did end up on a good note -- I went to an instructor -- showed her-- she gave me the phases I needed -- I did them -- it worked -- I got off, gave Fanny a treat, loosened the cinch and walked to the pen.

In SUMMARY: Here is what I need to do next time --:
1. Have a Positive and progressive attitude -- take my ego out--put Fanny first -- slow down -- Listen to Fanny -- don't worry about what will people think -- and the big one FOCUS

Tomorrow is a new day. . . Until then

Jo