Unproductive Rides. We all have them. And they can be SO frustrating.
You get to the barn, you tack up. You have all these plans you think about as you flick the brush over your partner’s body. You build up yourself as you place that saddle gently on their back. And even as you swing your leg over and settle into the saddle and pick up the reins, you are centering yourself for a productive ride…..
…And then it all falls apart. Nothing goes the way you want. Your frustration builds, and so does your partners.
Last night for me and B, things started out great. Warmed up at the walk and trot. Things felt forward and relaxed. And then to warm up our canter… and we just could NOT get our canter departrues. Wrong leads, shoulder in and outside bends, it was just a MESS! Nothing felt natural or smooth.
So we moved on, put him towards a fence and he went over, but that too was a mess. Nothing on my body felt natural, so it threw him off. I couldn’t get my timing, I had no idea what to do with my hands, just… ugh! We tried it a few more times and nothing felt “sucessful”. So I called it a night.
I was not angry with my partner. It was not his fault, it was mine. I don’t know if I was distracted, or what. But as I reflected while untacking him and giving him a little extra grain and blanketing him for the cold winter night, I realized this was a me problem. So after I packed away my stuff, I stepped into the barn, kissed him on his velvet nose and told him I loved him and I would see him soon.
At the end of the day as I sat in bed, I reflected and told myself it was not a bad ride, simply unproductive. And as I type this blog, I don’t know if that is the case either, maybe it was just as hard learning day. But tomorrow is another one and I will go out and groom my boy, tack him up and swing my leg over again, bound and determined to have a better ride. And we will, because we learned from the last one.
Happy Riding!
A+B
