Spurs Stuck in the Back Cinch
Ever have one of those days when you feel like a total disaster? Yesterday was one of those days for me. Poor Leo. I’m lucky that he seems to like me a little. I was riding along, still experimenting with the spurs and pressure and feeling pretty good, like I might be getting the hang of it. Until, that is, I asked him to canter. My spurs somehow kept getting lodged in the back cinch. Leo is cantering around while I’m having panic attacks because my heels are getting periodically pinned in the saddle. After it happened a few times I asked him to please walk. Don’t feel bad; I was thinking the same thing—I’m a dork.
I’m pretty sure that I’m the only one who’s ever had this happen. There was just no walking away from that ride with any sort of dignity. My spurs got stuck in the back cinch! Jeez!
So last night, after walking the walk of shame back to the barn, I started to problem solve. How in the heck are me feet so far back at a canter that the spurs are getting caught in the cinch? I know he has a short body but that’s just not right. It’s got to be because I’m not sitting right. I’m not sitting back on my back pockets like Les Vogt says to do. I watched the part of his training video where he’s talking about canter departures. When he rides at a canter, his legs are pretty far forward, up by the shoulders almost.
Today, I got to go for another ride because it wasn’t raining (two whole days in a row, woo!). Leo was SO GOOD today. He was Leo Fantasicooooo! He made me feel so optimistic about our program and so proud of him. I hugged him over and over again (I know you’re supposed to pat them when they do well, but I sometimes get to that “beaming” stage of proud when I just have to hug his whole neck). Anyway, I concentrated on my seat at a canter and really tried to get it right. Spur problem officially eliminated. I’ll have to keep working on it, but at least I’ll know when I’m not doing it right—I’ll get trapped in my dang saddle.
Those are the spurs I’m wearing by the way. To me, the rowels seem don’t seem very severe. I hope I’m right.
