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Nov. 9th, 2004 08:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rmI have to ride today, in what apparently feels like 29-degrees with the wind chill. Now, I ride in the indoor ring, so things will be a little better, but among other things, I'm getting over a cold and hardly have the clothes for it. Also, Benny, is so Benny. Last time we trotted (which still involves my instructor ordering him where to go and me holding on for dear life), I felt him trying to do his "I'm gonna turn around in the corner!" thing. At speed (trotting is speed for me) this freaked me out badly, and although I was able to get him not to do it, it didn't do wonders for my trust factor. With the weather, and the fact that he apparently kicked my instructor last week (although it was her foot that got hurt so maybe he just stepped on her?), I'm expecting a bit of drama with him today.
Riding is always a psychological battle, both over my own crap and the horse's, but there's the added fact that Benny doesn't just like to test you ("do you really have authority over me?"), but also is notorious for making new riders stop being lazy or afraid ("you can ride better than this, let me do something annoying to prove it to you"). He's a fantastic horse to learn on, but it's a little like learning to drive in Manhattan or fly out of Teterboro -- it'll drive you nuts, it'll take twice as long, but you'll actually know what you're doing when you get there.
This is where I'll be riding in Australia: http://www.centennialstables.com.au/index.php which is _such_ a change from ghettobarn (tm), I won't know what to do with myself.
Finally, Giant Squids Are Taking Over the World. No, really.
Riding is always a psychological battle, both over my own crap and the horse's, but there's the added fact that Benny doesn't just like to test you ("do you really have authority over me?"), but also is notorious for making new riders stop being lazy or afraid ("you can ride better than this, let me do something annoying to prove it to you"). He's a fantastic horse to learn on, but it's a little like learning to drive in Manhattan or fly out of Teterboro -- it'll drive you nuts, it'll take twice as long, but you'll actually know what you're doing when you get there.
This is where I'll be riding in Australia: http://www.centennialstables.com.au/index.php which is _such_ a change from ghettobarn (tm), I won't know what to do with myself.
Finally, Giant Squids Are Taking Over the World. No, really.
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no subject
Date: 2004-11-09 12:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-09 12:37 pm (UTC)I read a few of your posts and decided to add you because your info said I could without asking permission. Very entertaining!
I was Navy for a few miserable years and for six months my ship was at Hunters Point in SF, just across the bay from Alameda. I'd get over to Concord a lot for some reason I can't remember (it was 1978 fer heavens sake). A girl I went to HS with, well, her Dad was one of the principle designers of BART.. so if you want, I'll look him up and either thank him or cuss him out for you. Whichever you want.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-09 12:43 pm (UTC)Otherwise, dressage is that fancy-pants school of riding which features getting the horse to describe tiny little circles whilst hopping on two legs and the rider juggles flaming torches sort of thing. Well, the torches are optional unless one is working for Barnum & Bailey....
NP on the friending, I'll toddle on over to your end of LJ, shortly.
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Date: 2004-11-09 12:53 pm (UTC)When I tried it in rehearsal I almost flung the poor little guy I was with completely over the horse, but he knew I was a novice and compensated for it. Those Jockeys have made an art form out of learning to compensate for anything and everything in their lives.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-09 12:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-09 01:08 pm (UTC)