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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.

I noticed recently that I was only using my hands with Leo in vertical flexion, so I’ve been working on using my legs as well and it was pretty frustrating for a while. Here’s the trouble I’m having at times. Say he’s at a trot and I want him to yield to the bit and drop his head. But when I bump with my legs and “jiggle” the bit, he thinks I mean to speed up and yield to the bit. So then I’d go back to just the bit.

I like that slow jog of his, but it virtually disappears into a bone jarring speed trot when I use my legs. I was about to throw in the towel, but the last few rides I’ve noticed that if I bump just a little with my legs he drops his head and keeps his slow pace. It doesn’t work all the time, but I think we’re getting the hang of it.

I got to ride on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we rode in the rain but today was just beautiful out. The spurs are really making a difference with his responsiveness on his left side. I actually went and picked up a pair of my own. I’ll post a picture sometime this week. They have a really flat clover rowel on them, which is probably best for a couple of beginners like us.

This weekend the equine dentist is coming to check out Leo’s teeth. I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t mentioned it to Leo. No need to make him stress all week about the consequences of cavities.

It finally stopped raining. I was in pretty good shape considering the New Year’s Eve shenanigans, so I saddled up Leo this afternoon. He was on his very best behavior—starting out the new year on the right hoof even.

Since I haven’t ridden him in a week, we went through the CowhorseU basics: neck, shoulder, ribs, hips exercises. Then I tested him at a trot and canter to see if he was relaxed (he sometimes gets chargey if I haven’t ridden him in awhile). After I was sure he was in a pretty calm mood, I decided to try out spurs for the first time.

As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, Leo is really dull on his left side and really sensitive on his right side. So, if I apply equal pressure on both sides to ask him to trot, he usually veers to his left before getting going, He also doesn’t seem to even feel pressure from the left. So…my first attempt with spurs.

I borrowed a pair that have a very small rowel. I had Jim watch my feet as I tested different angles by pointing my toes or dropping my heels. He let me know where the spurs were if I couldn’t see. Then Leo and I got going, and (out of common courtesy and for self-preservation purposes) I was really careful not to bump or press very hard. I think I got a feel for it pretty quickly.

Leo’s reaction was interesting. I think he just didn’t know what I wanted, not that he was being ornery when I was asking him to move away from my leg pressure. When I finally applied pressure with the left spur, it took him a minute to move away from it. I knew he was feeling the spur and still pushing toward it because of his ears moving when I pressed with the spur. Then it was if he thought about it for a second, it registered what I wanted, and then he moved away from it. I also like that I was gentle enough with the spur that he didn’t jump from it, but noticed it enough to react calmly to it. He got a lot of “good boys!” and got much quicker at responding for the rest of the ride.

I’ve read it many times, but this was such a great illustration for me that horses have to be taught on each side separately—how they can understand how to do something perfectly on one side, but not understand at all when asked on the other side.

Other ride highlights: Leo did a beautiful slow jog with his head pretty low. I had to keep checking him, but he’s getting the idea. He’s also progressing quickly with turn on the forehand and goes farther each time. Mostly, he was just a wonderful horse today in a wonderful mood. It was a great ride and a great start to the new year.

Happy New Year everyone!