I’ve been bringing Roz back into work after she had approximately 6 weeks off. It doesn’t sound like she should need that much work to get back to where she was, but it’s deceiving.
Roz is a particular horse, that when she does not feel good she lets you know. She will still work as best she can…until she can’t. As I mentioned in a previous post, her ‘No’ or ‘I can’t’ is unmistakable.
I didn’t think there was much reason to ride her before the osteopath could see her, as it would make anything I was trying to ask her, and her trying to do it, confusing. Why make it more complicated than it needed to be? So, she earned time off any way. Between the heat of summer and Texas drought, it worked out.
So, O came and went and I’ve gradually been working Roz more. The first was just walking, reaffirming all connections were good and she wasn’t uncomfortable. We trotted and it was ok. Ok… I didn’t like it.
Back to the walk we went to establish flexing, connecting, and forward. It didn’t take that much longer, but I’m glad I did it because when I felt better about the quality of walk I was getting, the trot felt better.
And so too has the canter gone. She stepped up into it a little rusty, and simply felt unbalanced. Not dangerous, but not the jumper Mare I had a few months ago. So I knew I needed to go back to trot.
By building a better trot, she will be better prepared to canter and jump. Nothing is terrible, but I know she can do better. Roz is a funny horse that doesn’t really want anyone else’s opinions on how she should w/t/c. She thinks she knows it all. But once she figures out what is being asked off her, she nails it and it becomes her new second nature. Teaching her to be through, and direct the energy over her back is not easy when she’s athletic and has other ideas. Meaning, yes she can probably jump 3’ easily as a giraffe, but I’d rather her be able to move up to more by going correctly.
But I’m still proud of her. She’s pretty special.
Off Course 