WEll, our ride on the AZ Trail (section 18 and part of 17) was not butt puckering. Sherrie's husband Lynn went with us (or I did I go with them?) and we didn't move near as fast Sherrie would normally go. We did 14 miles, which was a nice mileage ride. It was beautiful, the wildflowers were in bloom, and it was green. HOWEVER.....My horse, when he was behind "John" (Lynn's horse) was a jerk. Not bad, no bucking or anything like that, but, he was completely blowing all of my aids off. Now, he didn't know this horse,but still, I am the boss, supposedly. Santana normally works off my leg and seat aids for speed, AND for stop. I do not use the bit for control, only communication. Well. Forget it. He was not listening to my seat aids at all, so, I moved to his face. He was blowing through his bit (snaffle) as well. I thought about it all night, and I realized that I haven't practiced any of his groundwork and Whitesell exercises in months... I put Santana in training this summer, and he learned a lot there,as did I . He was gaiting the best he ever has after the training. ANd, I think I have messed that up. In the arena it is easy to concentrate on my form, and his. On the trail, I am thinking about a lot of other stuff (other horses, terrain, ect). I need to go back to the basics, REALLY work on my muscle memory for my form, get my weight off his fore so he can gait, and go back to where he was responding to my aids with just the SLIGHTEST cue for speed and stop and back and direction. . He was SO light in the bridle last summer. He wasn't nearly finished with this stuff, and I dropped the ball by not continuing to practice it. Now, I need to go work with my horse....
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