Group lesson time sometime during horrid winter of 2000.
The "group" was standing in the middle of the arena with
"instructor". Jenny was looking at each of us, telling us what
we were going to be focusing on for this lesson.
"Patty, it will be jumping barrels for you". Patty
shuddered. Jewell flips her rear end high in the air when she
jumps…making Patty's body do a great impression of whiplash in action.
"Dale, we'll be working on getting the canter and the
leads." Dale shuddered. Honey, Dale's new horse is slow to move up
to the canter and persists in using her right leading leg at all times.
Dale is trying to learn to love canter.
"Debbie, we'll be just trying to get Zioch to get into and stay
in a canter." Debbie shuddered. The last time, Zioch showed the
world that when it wasn't his decision to canter, then he had no
interest in it.
Well, during this discussion, I was thinking, "Velvet and I like
jumping the barrel, we always do great on our cantering or anything else
for that matter!" I felt a certain prideful feeling of
superiority. Without my brain functioning, I spoke up,
"Velvet and I can do anything that you can think of. There's
nothing that you could have us do that we can't do, except maybe ride
bridleless!"
I really know better than to dare a great riding instructor with
enough flexibility and imagination to control any situation. I
just had that feeling inside me and it wouldn't be denied. I was
feeling GOOD! Velvet is a perfect horse!
Jenny's eye's narrowed. That's the only hint of temper that
Jenny ever displays. Not many advanced students mouth off.
Usually we learn at an early stage to keep quiet and try to be
invisible.
Out on the wall she sent us. She told me to get two carrot sticks
(long fiberglass sticks that we use as extensions of our arms).
She told me to put down my reins and just use my body and leg aids to
guide Velvet. I was to use the carrot sticks if nothing else
worked. We've done this before…many times. She told us to
stop and back. She seemed to be staring at Velvet and I during
this action. She had us canter then stop and back. Velvet
and I did fine with the help of the carrot sticks.
We were still stopped when Jenny came over to Velvet and I. She
unfastened the bridle and took it off Velvet's head. I describe
this as "ripping the bridle off". That's how I
felt…like she was ripping the bridle off my head; Like she was taking
my lifeline away. She ripped my lifeline away! Velvet had
her rope halter on under the bridle. Jenny ripped that off too,
saying I want you to look at that head and see NOTHING but her bare
head!
As Jenny walked back to the middle of the arena, she said, "And you
can't scream outloud!"
"Trot or optional gait," she directed. Velvet and I just
stood there while I screamed silently inside. I always obey Jenny
and I never talk back.
Soon I got the courage up to tell Velvet to move. Move we did! We
were able to stop and change directions. We were able to turn our
hindquarters and forequarters. We were able to canter and go
through the middle of the arena in a large figure eight pattern.
We also discovered a lot of errors that I had been making. One
major error was to squeeze my leg against Velvet's side when I just
wanted her to turn. I should have just been nudging her with my
heel, as squeeze means "GO FAST"! During a turn at a
slow speed, I squeezed for a slow turn. Velvet suddenly careened
at a high gallop speed through the middle of the arena almost running
into a wall, before I could get my body and the carrot sticks to tell
Velvet to STOP!
The final directive was to help Patty and Jewell get used to jumping the
barrel in the middle of our arena wide figure eight pattern. I
wasn't given any option. Velvet and I jumped the barrel bridleless!
(silent scream!!!)
What an exciting evening that was. We've been practicing every
since. I now have learned to nudge her side lightly when wanting
her to turn. I squeeze when wanting her to go faster! Velvet
and I both love to ride bridleless!!!
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