Last week I got comfortable riding Fancy in Tony and Jenny Vaught’s clinic for rides #7 and #8. Near the end of each day, we cantered part of the bow tie pattern. The second day, Tony had to show me how to apply a more forceful pressure as Fancy resisted my light pressure-ask. Taking on a filly with strong opinions is like learning to walk again. That was last week.
This week was a clinic with Dr. Mike Guerni. I was able to ride in a short Intro to Canter group lesson the first day and a private lesson the second day. Clinics are my favorite thing to do in my horse life. Next favorite is lessons.
RAIN. RAIN. I went to get Fancy Saturday morning and it started to rain. I asked Fancy to load in the trailer during a pouring rainstorm. She loaded right in. She deserves many, many treats for that. We also unloaded in the rain. Luckily, Fancy had all morning until 1:00 to dry. She was dry and I was very thankful. However, the saddle pad was wet. Poor Fancy. Yech
Indoor arenas are wonderful places!
Saturday in the group lesson, Dr. Mike had us individually canter about 5 minutes from the start time of the lesson. I was second to canter. Scream! Fancy was still anxious about being in this strange place. We did our slow and spurt. That means she balked and then spurted forward fast with my corrective pressure. Spurting might have been caused by too much pressure on my part. Dr. Mike might have mentioned that on Sunday.
Dr. Mike threatened us with the horsemanship stick to fix the slow. He might tap her rear end. Scary!! So my body was able to tell Fancy to canter, thus avoiding a bolting death. I did feel like I was going to die going around the ends of the arena. When you feel like you are going to die, you hold your breath. Also, I had no slow down speed control. Death is certain.
During our first canter of a million laps, I started breathing. I announced this to the world. Dr Mike asked. “What did she say?! I think I yelled “I’m Breathing!.” One of The participants repeated “Breathing, she said She’s breathing.!” Dr. Mike announced, “I thought she said PEEING!.” Now we all have a vision of moisture seeping from my saddle. Oh goodness. My mystical beauty has been breached! We all had a good laugh while I was zooming around. Fancy started slowing down at the end of the arena where the rest of the horses were waiting. Dr Mike demanded that I use focus and more pressure to keep her at a canter. We obeyed after a few trot disobedience transitions. Yee Haw Cowgirl!
He had us stop. We did stop and instantly, Fancy bolted. A dog had run into the arena. Famcy bolted for about 10 feet. She has a good rideable bolt. She starts digging in with her hind legs for a few seconds before forward movement occurs. I can ride that out! Fancy and I went to the other end of the arena and herded the dog out of the arena. That was awesome.
We did canter on my next turn I enjoyed it….two million laps for the day. I was assigned to canter with another rider, a beautiful young woman. We both did an awesome job. Dr. Mike assigned us to do transitions. Twenty strides at a canter and ten strides at a trot. Fancy did awesome at transitions. I counted the strides outloud. I thought that would really impress those who were watching and Dr. Mike. Dang, no one mentioned what amazing feel I have for Fancy’s strides. I cantered until it was fun and I had speed controls! Amazing experience!
I also loved living thru the first thing that has scared Fancy, so shut that door!
Sunday
Rain Rain. I was in Fancy’s stall when lightning cracked. Fancy and I both startled, but she remained rock steady. She didn’t kill me. Love that horse!
Fancy was anxious again today in the arena for our private lesson. There was another horse in the arena, a black horse. She wanted to visit the black horse to see if it was Cisco! The black horse didn’t calm her anxiety. Of course it also started raining with the load noise of rain on an arena roof. “Piffle”, she said! “I’m not scared of rain noise. I’m just anxious about being in the arena.” I started doing circles and figure 8’s. Circles calm me down. Figure 8’s calm the horse down.
Fancy was also pacing. I have come a long way in the pace world. I understand it. I no longer feel like throwing myself out of the saddle in despair and hatred. I’ve come a long way since the Sage and JR days. (Book 1 and book 2). In fact. Erin Patterson had just told me on Friday to be grateful for the pace. I took that statement as being part of an intriguing journey. Being grateful for the pace is a complex concept to grasp.
Dr. Mike started our lesson. He loves the figure 8 pattern for anxious horses. We ended up doing left and right turns around about 8 cones, occasionally changing the pattern and direction. Dr. Mike coached me on relaxing. I had to sing. I sang. He pronounced, “Your singing is staccato”. (I wanted to say. “No way, I’m the mother of an opera singer! I sing arias!” I let that joke pass unsaid.). My next task was to sing relaxed. No one asked me where my beautiful voice came from, but it was no longer staccato. I whistled a bunch too. Whistling makes me relax.
Fancy was spurting forward too fast when I used the string for rythmic pressure. My belly button was mentioned. My shoulder had to lift when going into a turn instead of my body leaning into the turn. My body was not rhythmic. I started swinging my legs a fraction to match her stride. Yes! Eventually it did get better.
“Are you having fun?”
“No!”
Lecture on having fun with your horse! Too determined . Too concentrated. Have fun. Are you breathing?
Are you enjoying this? Etc. Etc.
I haven’t been tortured like this in years! Definitely a Fancy book if I live through her development.
People watched her pace.
Good Lord! I should have worn a t-shirt that said Islandic Horse instead of Fox Trotter.
Many people in attendance at the clinic complimented me saying my horse was “fancy”. Fancy IS stunning. After the Canter session the auditors had told me I did good and that it was hard. Boy Howdy!
Dr. Mike complimented me on my posture. My hands were good most, but not all of the time. I forgot to use my fingers instead of my arm to ask for direction changes and speed control. My elbows flopped a couple of times. My hands lifted up too high. All were corrected.
Not bad considering Cisco’s EPM two year time span. I did get to ride Powder for a month this past May. She helped me remember how to ride too.
In conclusion, Fancy is Perfect For Me! I’m on a journey! Yee Haw Cowgirl!
