Velvet did her normal extraordinary job during the clinic last weekend. No one else lives in a stable that has Parelli lessons every week, so it’s not hard to figure out why Velvet is so highly trained.
We had riders from 11 different States attend this advanced clinic. There
aren’t many level 3 clinics given in the United States (or world, for that
matter). So those advancing thru the PNH system have to go long distances
for these few and far between clinics.
I got over the last vestige of my fear of galloping on Velvet (from the
broken leg two years ago).
Velvet and I were cantering very fast in the arena. I asked for a stop and
her front legs wouldn’t work. She fell at about a half fast canter. I
landed right by her side and she rolled on my leg. The fall knocked the wind
out of me, so I had to wait until I could breath and feel my body before I
could get up. Velvet had rocked back off my leg and then layed there until I
could get up. If she would have tried to get up with me laying right there,
she would have stepped all over me.
I found out that her withers were badly out of place, so her front end was
“bound up”. The chiropractor had to have about 3 sessions with her over
about 6 months to get her completely back in place. Of course, when she
fell, she really put everything REALLY out of place. My fibula was broken. It’s the non weight bearing bone in the lower leg. That’s the story!
My cowboy friend, Brent, took me out to the 40 acre field and took off ahead of me. Then Velvet and I galloped to catch up. We did the same thing heading back and she galloped as fast as she could. I had no fear and was very thrilled. We did this after the clinic was done on the first day.
I started tearing up right when the clinic was ending…high emotion/fear. I had tried to weasel out of it, but Brent knew that I shouldn’t.
So, I got that over with and I am very grateful!
When the clinic ended, I had the instructor access some of the tasks. Velvet
and I passed quite a few of them and we are elated. One of the tasks was to
transition from slow/medium/fast doing a walk/trot/canter on a concentrated rein. The instructor said that our performance was the best transitions that he has ever seen.
Then I went home to feed the rest of the gang, tripped over the salt block
right behind JR and fell into the rocky mud…among three horses with feed in
only one bucket. (Pride is only fleeting). Luckily, I was able to scare the
squabbling horses away from my mud caked body!