8/26/13

 First Day...

                                             Annabelle and I on the forefront

"A true horseman does not look at his horse with his eyes, he looks at his horse with his heart."         

            Author unknown

 

 

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but the good news is that I finally leased a horse!  It turns out that I had a choice of leasing Cocoa or Annabelle, and I went with Annabelle, a 10-year old mare, half Arabian and half Paint, and a total beauty!

I've always had a soft spot for her.  She and I clicked from the beginning and we seem to be a really good match for each other. While others at the ranch don't like her oftentimes "sassy" way, I instinctually felt that she wasn't being "marish", but instead, it was her only way of communicating things that distressed her.  How else can she tell you what she thinks?  I made it my job to "listen" to her and find out what was troubling her.

I must confess that as a green horsewoman, she made me nervous on many occasions.  While grooming, she would refuse to lift her feet.  When riding, she would swish her tail or throw her head up and to the sides.  Many times, she would not let anyone mount her.  I was told she was acting like a typical mare!

 

I was not satisfied with this answer.  I felt she wasn't just telling me something was wrong...she was screaming it!  How can I not listen?!

During my summer lessons with her, I found that keeping a calm demeanor seemed to calm her too.  If I spent time grooming her and massaging her, she would happily pick up her feet for me.  If I slowly cinched her, she would remain calm.  I found that arena work is not her favorite but that she loves trail rides. I also strongly suspected that the saddle that was assigned to her caused her pain or discomfort.  This will be proven in time since I can now try a different saddle on her.

I'm really happy now to be able to be with her everyday if I want to.  My plan is to go to the ranch three times a week, but if I can make it more often, I will.  During this first week with her, I only got to ride her the first day.  When I went to see her a couple of days later, she had an injury on her knee, gotten from a swift kick by another horse, so I just groomed her, gave her an apple and called it a day.  We'll see how she's doing during the next few days.  I do miss her!

Hopefully, I'll be back in the saddle in no time!