Suicide Ride!

Thurs. –
Tied Cat to trailer while working Lucy. She wasn’t happy so reared the majority of the time and then went to pawing once she got tired of rearing.

Did LFR Stage II but didn’t ride (too dark). She began to anticipate the change of direction from me turning my hand over to put the stick in it. Turns were nice! Deep hock action into the ground and then she rolled out of there w/energy.

Put in stall – not happy she couldn’t see Lu but could see Salute so she was ok.

Fri. – (ride 8)
Did some liberty work in the indoor. She’d run away from me to visit the other horses but when I’d call and comb my finger she’d come running back to me. Did some figure 8’s at liberty and then jumped on bb. Did some flexing and trotting (not much) and called it a night. Did ask her to back and she did take a few steps w/o resistance.

Sat. – (ride 9)
Did minimal LFR (stage 1), some C pattern and sending and then got on. Did ORS at the w/t/c. She picks up quickly! Would trot 4 beats, sit two and then shut her down. Did the counting in my head (not outloud). When I decided to trot 6 strides instead she shut herself down at 4 and put her head to my foot. Decided it was time to do passenger lesson instead!

ORS at the canter – need work. She is still sticky at the canter and would pop her butt up in protest. She also quickly began to anticipate the shutdown but I ran out of time to do a passenger lesson. Did do YHQ for the first time and she did that like we’d done it since she was born (have done from the ground but not under saddle).

Sun. – my suicide ride! (ride 10)

Did LFR stage 3. That really confused her but like everything else, it didn’t take long for her to pick it up. Got on and she wanted to “visit” with the other horses out of the back gate so we did some rollbacks at the gate to get her focused on me and not them. Started my ORS at the w/t/c but after much anticipation (again) decided to move straight to the passenger lesson. Trot passenger lesson was great so we kicked it up to the lope. This time she didn’t protest.

I can honestly say for the first time in a LONG time I rode w/the death grip on the horn AND the cantle! She does not want to lope so she tries anything and everything to get out of it! I kept telling myself “don’t guess which way she’s going to go” and I finally got to where I’d just look at her shoulder to avoid looking at where she was going.

Unlike Lucy, she makes her mind up at the last minute and I mean the LAST minute. The first time I tried the PL at the canter at the saddle club arena I would have put money on it that she would have gone over the gate had I not turned her. Sunday she’d be loping a straight line down the rail and then slam on the breaks, roll into the rail (full blown rollback) and haul off the opposite direction. That one really threw me for a loop!

Then she’d run down the center and just slam on the breaks. We’d run straight for a wall and then right as I though she was going to slam into it she’d break left or right. She is VERY athletic and I have a very poor seat! When she finally loped around a full circle a few times I let her stop. She was huffing and puffing and the sweat was just pouring off of her! My arms were killing me from giving the saddle the death grip so I was happy to be done.

I walked her out a bit doing the stick to the fence exercise to cool her down. Got a chuckle when she didn’t want to stick to the fence next to the gate (where we did the rollbacks earlier). What I’m learning with Cat is that she is VERY quick to catch on. This should keep me on my toes!

She was not happy when I’d tie her up and take Lucy out but I’m hoping as time goes by she’ll get over that.