The Uber Lovely & The Uber Ugly.

Today, this is how we do!

Talk about the twenty-one faces of a mare this week!
Paloma has never been entirely marish, aside from being divalicious, I always brag that she is a gelding stuck in a mares body. A trans-gender equine.
Although, this week, I am seeing 100% pure mare.

This past weeks rides have ranged from 'freak-nut' - spooking at things that never bug her, including snow sliding off the arena dome, yes, it sounds like a gigantic zipper but what is the deal, you were over this two years ago! Then there are the rides where you receive your mare's 110%, everything clicks, you think you have gone to heaven and will no longer dabble in the struggles of the lower beings.
Ha. I shouldn't be so naive.
Next ride, you are all pumped up because you now have a 'grown up' horse, shed a fine tear, you gear up your mind to ensure that you are being consistent with the refinements you have made with your ride annnndd... your ride is uber ugly!

Yeeauupp, that was my ride last night.

Saturday and Monday's ride were just fantabulous! I was working on applying the more refined aids I have learned lately that have proved to be revolutionary.
The even pressure on both reins at all times, inside hand 'tilt' to the outside for flexion (genius FYI), the 'skiing' thigh/leg and the inside leg/spur 'bump-bump' to ask for more engagement on the inside hind.


I tried to replicate the same yesterday evening. Thinking I need to be more consistent in my rides rather than changing it up as much as I usually had been. I had originally thought that the changes would keep Paloma's interest when in turn she was actually using the changes as a tool to her evasions, knowing if she went dull and stiff I would simply move on to something else.
Finally seeing this, I realized consistency was key to working through the evasions.

On I went. Consistent.

Then we hit a wall. A brick one, two bricks thick even. It was NOT coming down. Paloma's response, I could see it in the eyes,

     'No. I said No. This is too hard. Did you hear me woman! Mare says NO! If you don't listen I will envision this bit as your arm, I will chomp it! I'm warning you! Chomp, Chomp!'

This was our ride for the first 55 minutes of the hour. 

I was merely asking for inside hind to come through a bit more and a bit of flexion in my corners/serpentine's. Something that was so simple the last two rides. *sigh*

I moved onto canter. Canter is easier for Paloma. Okay. This is not changing the 'subject' per say but maybe it will help. Nope.

I asked for a bit of leg yield off the wall and to the wall, something I have taught Paloma since year two of training. Simple, no? No.

What did I get, tempi changes and not pretty ones. Bouncy and stiff. Hmm ok. I am shifting my weight somehow? I drop my stirrups to be sure. More tempi's and flailing. Ugh.

This was the picture of the hour. Until something clicked and Paloma gave me five minutes of a great forward walk, soft, engaged and sensitive trot and a hot dang canter leg yield.

This is where I closed the chapter for the day. 

Do I truly have a mare after all?