My lesson on Tuesday. I thought about not blogging about it because it was just a cluster. But, this blog is primarily a documentation about what happens so, if I choose, I can look back at progress and trends. So, I am blogging.

I’ll start by saying, I barely rode. I think I was in the saddle for 15 minutes. That 15 minutes included me cooling Nay Nay out AFTER the lesson ended.

You see, we decided last week that we’d try some training rides and split up my lessons with training. My trainer would hop on, install some buttons, and then I’d ride. Hahaha.

Hahahahahaha.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

Nay Nay had other ideas.

I’ve written a lot about Nay Nay, but the one thing I’ve rarely EVER said is that Nay Nay is bad. He may have opinions. He may have energy. He may have moments. But Nay Nay is never bad. Tuesday, Nay Nay decided to test bad. Nay Nay was a total ass.

Now, part of it was probably my fault. Actually, all of it was probably my fault. I’m happy to blame myself for everything. This is how I grew up. Everything is the rider’s fault. But, Nay Nay was asked a question and said no. And then was asked again and said yes. And then realized that No was a better (more fun?) answer. With this in mind, I’ll recap.

When my trainer hopped on, she spent the first several minutes just working on leg pressure and having Nay Nay more away from pressure (I should have videoed all of this but I was watching). To the left, moving off that left spur is hard. At first, he didn’t understand the question (my damn left leg is weak! I struggle this way so in turn, Nay struggles. This is new, my struggle here, but I’ll possibly get to that in another blog). But, time, patience, reward, Nay started to get it. But, also was VERY happy to try and evade and exit the ring if the option was presented. But with bend and appropriate counter bend, they got somewhere at the walk and trot. Occasionally, Nay had words and opinions of a less “polite” nature and a growl or two put him in his place (no bucking or crow hopping occurred at all, just a minor tantrum).

The right? Utter gentleman. He gets the pressure, it’s easy. Last year, he didn’t bend to the right. Now he’s a slinky to the right. He moves off leg/spur and all is good. But, the same exercise was repeated plus some cantered (which hindsight was a bad idea as when she brought him back, re-establishing the trot plus bend took a few moments).

Then came left lead canter. He was good for my trainer. She picked up the lead 4 times. Walking me through it each time.

So it was time for me to hop on. I did. When asked, we immediately got the canter and it was great. Then we trotted and asked again and Nay decided nope, no more. Despite all the work he had done, everything was in short bursts on half a ring. We were only 15 minutes into the lesson. He’d never cantered more than 1/2 a circle with my trainer each time she asked. But, Nay suddenly had me.

I asked again and… wrong lead. But, I tipped forward partially because it’s me and partially because when I asked (2 hands to the outside but primarily left hand to the outside), he yanked me forward. This continued. I eventually had my body back but Nay said screw you, I’m not cantering to the left. (There was some spinning in circles as well)

At this point, my trainer hopped back on (can I just say how grateful I am that we use the same length stirrups?). We figured that she’d fix it.

Nay had other plans. Plans included a full on, toddler sized meltdown. At this point he is trying to launch my trainer forward. “NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” And trying to exit the ring (towards the nearby field where there is electric fencing (you have to make an effort to get the 8-10 ft to the field to hit the fence but Nay was bound to try). He even tossed in his first buck of the day. He looked and acted like a toddler ready to throw himself on the ground in a full out fit.

He did pick up the canter (several times), but I realize that NONE of this was about the canter. This was a day where he just said no because he could. He wasn’t sore. He wasn’t unsound. He is just used to me getting on and us doing our thing. This was a training thing.

His mind was blown when my trainer got on and demanded he do things vs me asking for things. She doesn’t get nervous/scared/backdown. He pulls antics (never like this), we generally move onto something I’m 100% comfortable so that I don’t have to fight. This obviously doesn’t help matters… Not that I need to push as hard as a pro, but, at the same time, it’s similar to our issues with the trailer. We can get through it, but I need to hold ground, stay consistent, and make sure if I ask for something, I ask for it (otherwise, don’t bother).

My trainer regularly says with green horses every day you are either training or un-training.

My plan is to ride Friday-Sunday. Of course I’ve been dealing with some health crap including bad vertigo so we’ll see. I have PT Friday but assuming I can function, someone is going to boot camp. We’ll just be lunging first. He was a perfect gentleman on Sunday too.