Too many horses spoil the broth

Too many horses spoil the broth

At the beginning of last night’s lesson there were two other riders in the ring. The deal at the barn is that you post the times you have lessons, and then if others want to ride while you are taking a lesson, that’s OK, it is their choice.

The indoor is about 2/3 the size of a traditional ring, so when there are a lot of horses it can become quite awkward. Last night the elite dressage rider in the barn was working with her horse, a huge beautiful animal who can piaffe, do flying changes, etc. Also riding was the woman whose horse is a big black Freesian cross who was formerly a carriage horse. I think of him as Champagne’s big brother, because they are both dark and solidly built.

Champagne likes to glue himself to the dressage horse and follow him around as closely as possible, not listening to me at all. Eventually I gave up riding on the rail and we did some work on turning on the forehand and backing up in the middle of the ring. That turned out to be a good thing, because I have been giving the rein back signal wrong. Now we have to learn all over again, me to do it properly and Champagne to get what I mean this new way.

After the other riders left, we did some trot and canter work, which was quite pleasing.

My instructor said the other horses just seemed like horses, but Champagne seems like such a character, personality plus. I like to think that expression of his personality is partly because I’ve been paying attention to it and verbalizing it so others can see it. And I realize I’m lucky, too.

Sunny at the barn has turned sour and tries to kick everyone. (The vet is coming to see him; he has no outward sign of injury.) Christo is nasty and will bite you. Rev is so valuable and active that he can’t be turned out with others, and so spends most of his time in his stall, or a really small turn-out where he can’t build up any speed. The cute three year old Liam stepped on a nail and so is on stall rest. Shea has Cushings and has to be encouraged to eat. Rocky has something new wrong (not sure what) so HE is on stall rest.

My good boy is pleasant without being a push over, whimsical and cute, quite sturdy (he still has a knot on his side from his fall but it doesn’t hurt him at all or limit his movements), and pretty smart (or at least has shown signs of being able to consider a couple of options and choose one or the other). He really is the WBH, at least for me.