[personal profile] rm
I 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.

Date: 2004-11-09 12:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] daverhodester.livejournal.com
Ah, shows what I know about riding.. which is nothing. But during the aforementioned filming of Seabiscuit I did befriend a few of the Jockeys and learned a few things. Also, since I was playing a trainer at one point, Chris MacCarron (who is a hall of fame Jockey and currently GM of Santa Anita Racetrack)showed me how to "leg up" a Jockey onto a horse so I could do it in a scene and look convincing.

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.

Date: 2004-11-09 12:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com
*chuckles* indeed. Before my final growth *finally* kicked in, my riding teacher was making a lot of broad hints about giving amateur flat-racing a try but there was no way in *hell* I was going to get up on a racehorse!

Date: 2004-11-09 01:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] daverhodester.livejournal.com
Yeah, those thoroughbreds at Santa Anita aren't ridden by ANYONE who isn't a pro. Good way to get killed, and quickly.

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