Between the heat, humidity, rain and thunderstorms I
 only got to ride once this week.  Debbie asked me to take my lesson on Thursday so she would not have to rush home from a trip.  She had one of her non-boarding students, a girl, spending the morning at the stable so I got to explain why I rasp Mia's toes to a girl just starting off on her riding career, after telling her how she did not know how lucky she was to be taught by Debbie from the start!  It pays off when parents pay for lessons from a good horsewoman (or horseman) from the very first lesson.  Learning how to be a good horseperson is every bit as important as learning to ride well.

 

Mia was sort of creaky when I rode her.  She had given her left hind a good session of kicking out when I was trimming it, but eventually Mia cooperated.  I explained to the girl that the kicking was not usually considered a good thing, but I did not get after Mia for doing it (as long as the mare makes sure not to hit me!) because the kicking seems to be the way Mia supples her stiff joints.  Since it was soooo hot and muggy Mia and I got our trots in early.  Mia still was not completely recovered from her stone bruise so I was not expecting much from her, but Mia surprised me yet again.  Her trot was FULL of impulse.  I did not have to urge her on with every step.  In fact Mia felt like she was going to launch herself into flight like Pegasus leaving the earth behind (I guess Pegasus did not care if he was lame when he flew.)  The boinging was less than last week, she was using her impulse to lengthen her stride more, but I again got a taste of what could have been with Mia if she had been trained correctly from the start.  Then after the third trot it hit me, the reason why Mia felt like she was launching herself into space was because Mia was elevating her forehand.  Just a little bit, but what a change that little bit brought with it!

 

Before my last two rides I had never felt Mia elevating her forehand in a trot.  In fact, due to Mia's great age and arthritic hind legs it never occured to me that Mia might be capable of elevating her forehand while I rode her.  A year ago, when I read my first Racinet book, I had started the super-slow walk with her, maybe a minute or two a ride.  My goal was to strengthen the "sling" muscles of the forehand so she would be strong enough to elevate her forehand, but I was looking more toward jumping than an exciting, boinging trot.  While Mia had gotten stronger from doing the super-slow walk (I hesitate to call it a counted walk since there is no collection), she had not elevated her forehand during the trot.  I think that the four and a half months I rode her in the Spirit Bridle with the running martingle had strengthened her neck properly, and that her whole forehand was finally strong enough to offer me this elevation.  With both her "sling" muscle and her muscles on the top of her neck operating correctly I finally felt like I was riding an Arabian, not a broken down lame old plug.  Ah, progress is sweet.

 

Pretty good for a mare that's around thirty years old.

 

I've noticed that when Mia starts her much more impulsive trot I have to overcome the urge to hang onto her head.  I am not used to Mia starting her trot off strong.  Though I have been working toward this moment for years it was still surprising when it all finally came together.  It is so good after months of boring exercises around the ring to find out that yes, I was doing the right things for Mia's physical development.  But it also means that I have to be REALLY CAREFUL not to accidentally punish Mia when she suddenly moves like I want her to!  If I had slammed on the reins, even with the gentle Jumping Cavesson bridle, Mia would have thought that I was punishing her for her trot full of impulse.  Even though she felt like she was on the edge of taking off at full speed I had to keep my hands light, super light, because she does not like much pressure on her nose.  I had to have faith in Mia's obedience to my light aids, and let her express her exuberance in this new, improved movement.  After a few weeks it will not be disastrous if I accidentally hit her nose with the reins, by then she will know that it comes from my usual bad balance.  But now, in those first precious steps of correct movement, I have to be sure that I do nothing that says NO.  When the weather gets cooler and I can change to more subtle head-gear I will be able to influence her forward impulse, and I will be able to "sculpt" the way she moves.  But right now I have to content myself with the fact that she still responded to the twitchings of my fingers after the first three strides, letting me gently rate her speed even though she did not consent to full contact.  Everything else will have to come later when I can ride better.  Until then I will enjoy the feeling of being on the verge of taking flight.  Flight without wings.  Just the way a good Arab moves naturally.          

 

Last week after I rode Cider I decided that I would have to put in the widest gullet plate on my new Wintec Wide saddle.  Preparing myself for a session of wrestling with the saddle I encountered a problem, I could not get the screws on the gullet plate to budge.  Then my son, a hefty guy, tried and he also failed to budge them.  It felt like the screws were glued in.  I called the tack shop on Tuesday and Donna told me to bring it in so her daughter could change it, and if she could not they would send the saddle back and get me another one.  When I got there I mentioned that if they sent the saddle back I would prefer an 18" saddle, because with the less forward flaps of this saddle my knees were projecting into the air.  Well her daughter got the gullet plate changed (she uses a ratchet screwdriver for the screws on the Wintecs), but when I got back to the tack shop Donna and I talked and she asked me if I wanted her to order me the 18" saddle anyway, they would just put the 17 1/2" one back in stock.  I said yes, so I did not have a saddle to ride Cider in today.  Not that it mattered, the last two days we got almost 3 inches of rain (finally) so I don't think Shannon's ring would be in good shape.  I had thought of going back to my dressage saddle for one more ride but I got this feeling that Cider would not appreciate it.  So next week I will be able to try my new new Wintec Wide on her with the gullet plate that fits her and with only a quilted cotton dressage pad under it, not the Corrector.  Cider does not seem to like the extra long billet straps on her skin, luckily the dressage pad is long enough to go down to the much, much shorter girth.  I hope Cider will be happier with me!

 

This whole process was extremely frustrating for me.  I e-mailed Wintec for ideas on how to change the gullet plates myself.  Well Wintec in Australia answered me just saying they relayed my e-mail to their American office, then I got an e-mail from the American office expressing regret that I had problems and also telling me that my e-mail was forwarded to yet another person who could help me.  There has been complete silence since then from any Wintec person, no e-mails and no advice for my problem.  The gullet plates on this saddle have NOT been an "easy change" for me. 

 

I am SO GLAD that I did not order my saddle on line or from a catalogue!  If I had I would still not have a properly fitting saddle for Cider.  Believe me, it can pay off developing a relationship with your local tack store if you are fortunate enough to have a good one near you.  I have been doing the almost 80 mile round trips to Waxhaw to the best tack store around (Waxhaw Tack Exchange) for years.  Donna knows I am not rich!  She is never going to get thousands of dollars from me for a good saddle or hundreds of dollars from me for a good bridle.  But I think she gets a kick out of me, I know what I want, I know why I want it, I will tell her how it worked for me, and if she special orders something for me I don't expect her to take it back if it does not work like I thought it should.  She told me she considered me a good customer and she did not mind doing the saddle change for me if it would make me happier with it.  It is so nice to get good customer service nowadays!

 

Have a great ride!

Jackie Cochran              

 

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