Had so much fun riding my new mare today, with a few challenges, LOL!
A few other horses were working in the giant arena at the same time, which she likes.
She's 26 years old, so we do a really lengthy warmup, waking forward and relaxed all around the giant arena on a loose rein in both directions, then take up a bit of contact, get her listening to my inside leg and outside rein, changing directions and bend just from my leg, then getting her more on the bit, at a more active walk, then doing lateral work, like leg-yields in both directions. Then trotting in both directions, trying to get her to stay straight from my leg instead of hauling her around by the reins.
She was really good! She's definitely stiffer to the right, but after a few circles of trotting in both directions and some serpentines and changes of bend, she was able to do a few trot steps of shoulder-in to the left. Not so good to the right, but she tried her best! Probably because of me, my right leg is definitely weaker.
So then we cantered, asked her to the right first, as that's her weaker side. She was perfect! Did some nice round large-to-small circles, very balanced.
Then, stupid me, I asked her for the left-lead canter (her most comfortable) while we were facing the gate. I knew she felt she'd already worked hard enough, I should have asked her for the left-lead canter facing away from the gate. Cause she threw head into the air, took off into a gallop toward the gate (on the left lead, at least, LOL) and there I was hauling on her poor mouth, saying "slow, slow" and trying to maintain my poor loose legs and pathetic seat.
All the while, other riding friends had been sitting on the bench at the edge of the arena, and chatting together, occasionally telling my mare and I that we looked good. Then they got to see my horrible demonstration of bad riding!
Oh well, at least I did get my mare to eventually slow and do a halfway-decent obedient left-lead canter circle, before I dismounted, told her she was a good girl, cooled her out and took her back to her pasture.
Lessons learned:
1. I need to take lessons! No matter how experienced I am, a knowledgeable person who can watch the details of my riding and give critiques, is really helpful.
2. My horse and I are both out of shape and we need to get fitter! The best thing to get me in better riding shape would be longeing without stirrups or reins, with an instructor controlling the horse and yelling at me about my position. And finally, I have a horse who would also be able to do that and benefit her own fitness at the same time.
3. I shouldn't worry about what other riders think. All of us make mistakes and most of us learn from them, and from each other's conversations. It's all good, we're all here to learn from each other.
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