May Day

I had my first spring ride with Dreamer yesterday. It feels like the best ride we’ve ever had!

I did things a little differently. Instead of climbing up on my big boy and ordering him all around (I did not realize how little I was listening) I tried what I used to do with Ebony when training her to go out on trail (recommended by John Lyons) which is to let her pick her way. She loves being out and sometimes does not want to come home.

So my attitude toward Dream was not, “follow me,” but rather, “let us go together.” I still led when necessary. I did quick halts while we were out. When he hesitated, I decided. I directed many of our steps…

but I was listening, listening, listening with my body and my mind the whole time. I brought him just to the edge of his comfort zones (for distance away from the barn) and just to the beginning of his curious zones (where he wants to explore).

We went out front toward the arena (south), and west into the orchard, uphill. After a bit of tooling around we went into the soccer field (south of the barn, right in front of it.) Six family members were sitting there alongside the upper barn which is alongside the soccer field.

Dream was feeling good, so I let him pick up a trot. He did the liveliest trotting we’ve ever had. He trotted without hesitation around the ends, and not just on the straights. All of the observers were oohing and aahing. He was genuinely being admired.

Scott said Dream was SO PROUD OF HIMSELF. The children observed it, too. They could see his eyes and his demeanor. Instead of being surly or sour, the big boy was trotting around like a champion.

This means more to me than anything else: his confidence and happiness.

[I made the family tell me later three times about how happy he looked.]

Then we went out front again, in the yard where he hand grazed recently after lunging. He stopped where he had grazed and just stood there…lowering his head slightly…lowering some more…

I was laughing and told Dream he could not graze in his bit. I told him I knew what he was saying, but that he’d have to trust me. At the right time I asked him to move away from the area.

He did, and after a little more directing around the yard from me, I went into the soccer field and dismounted. The family was still there, and he got winners circle attention. I un-tacked at the barn and brought him out to a different spot on the lawn to graze.

This is the first time I have ridden him at home without some type of incident taking place, no matter how minor: balking, swooshing to the side, etc.

I am going to enjoy the light of our successful ride and hope and plan for many more to come. 

Our first home ride in May 2007

 May Day, 1875

Sir Archy, Bertrand