Baby Jane Update and a Successful Show

After a few days of getting to know Baby Jane at home, I got another try at our in public herd work at a cutting practice on Friday. This time we were absolutely smoking! We didn't miss a beat; it was so fun! The practice cattle were corriente roping steers. Lots of people don't like cutting these, but I do. The thing about roping cattle is they have a lot of "look" to them, and will play with your horse. If you get in their face, they WILL stop! Its just that if you get behind them in a chasing mode...well forget it. I think the people who don't like cutting them probably don't like them for this reason. However, if you dont' get out of position, if you don't chase, then you can jump back and forth all day and never get out of the center of the pen.

Okay, so I know that since we cut these kind of cattle we really didn't work on the issue that kept us out of the money at the show last weekend. Last weekend we got running cows and the problem was she was tight on a cow; I couldn't get her to go across the pen freely-she just wanted to crouch and jump back and forth. When I legged her more strongly to go across with the cow was when she kicked out and tried to buck. We have been working on that at home, however, on the round pen mechanical cow, and I dont' anticipate it being a problem again. We are getting to know and trust each other and I am starting to understand the feel of her. At home I have been working on rating the cow on long runs and keeping her up, going all the way to the stop.

At the pracice I could feel her desire and craving for cattle. She is such an intelligent, happy little pony. I always knew that, but now that I get to cut on her, and show her, a whole new dimension is added to our relationship. I do think we are going to be great friends.

I also practiced on Hal. Ever since December, I have been riding Hal two handed in a snaffle bit at home. When I was in Fort Worth, I spent a lot of time watching in the practice pen, and watching the two year old guys riding their sale horses two handed. I know what I like when I see it, and the ones I want to emulate are the smooth ones, the ones who have independent hands and good secure seats, who don't try to override their horses or do a lot of contortions in the saddle to get the job done. At one point my trainer was watching with me and I pointed out one of the ones I admired. He told me "you don't ride too much different from that now; the only difference is you lack the amount of seasoning that guy has." WOW!!!!!

Anyway it struck me that most of my struggles with Hal is I was not in the right mindset, about getting things solid in the foundation with him. It is like I thought I had to be too excited about riding him because he is such a high powered horse, more horse than I was used to previously. I was getting too anxious, always trying to get these huge moves, riding too quickly, getting Hal amped, when he is more than happy to get amped to the point of being out of control.

So when we got back from Fort Worth I decided to ride him like a two year old rider, two handed in a snaffle, working on the foundation stuff and getting us on the same page. This is good for Hal anyway. He has plenty of move. The key is to slow him down, get him to relax. I'm starting to understand what Paul Hansma is always talking about in his video. When you have the "A List" type horse, that is what you do. Previously, some of the horses I have rode have been the type I had to motivate a little. Well Hal certainly doesnt' need any motivation! He is motivated enough for both of us. He lives for jumping back and forth, crouching and shaking. He does it in his stall.

Every day I rode him this way. I did not blanket him this winter and he is somewhat fuzzy. So after every ride I have been currying him dry and I also think that is helping our relationship. Our relationship used to consist of only rubbing and currying, before I ever owned him. This is a good thing for Hal; he missed out on "being owned" for so many years and I think he really appreciates the extra attention.

At the practice on Friday I put a bridle on him and went to cutting. It was one of our better runs. I felt so confident and relaxed, letting him do his thing, and he stayed back and stayed correct and most important, stayed mentally connected to me, instead of getting out into the atmosphere somewhere. My focus held up as well and I am so glad I didn't fail him.

I think I have a new attitude towards showing this year. I have a feeling it is going to stick, too. Learning to ride, train, and show is a lifelong journey of course, but it is also a journey of self discovery. The better I get, the more I learn, the more I find out it has a leveling effect on my whole psyche. I am centered; I am grounded. And I am feeling fine about showing this year. The fear is gone. All of a sudden, I realized it just isn't necessary to be nervous. It is like a football game. It means everything...for an hour, and then it is over and it doesn't mean anything. It means everything and nothing all at once. It is so important to the person there and does nothing really to change the world. All a horse show is is a chance to showcase your horse to the best of your ability. It isn't about the person. It is about the horse. The only reason I am there is for Hal, to let him do what he loves to do so much. Why would I want to mess it up with silly human worries?

I went to the show on Saturday with this attitude. I also felt prepared, fully prepared, probably for the first time on Hal. I understand these things take time. There wasn't much chance of me being really prepared last year when I showed him; we didn't know each other well enough yet. Now, though, with my extra slow work at home, the extra hours put in, I feel closer to Hal and prepared to go let him be his best in front of the crowd. So that's what we did. Even loping around warming up Don's horses before my class I was in a different mindset.

I am prone to excitability and an abundance of energy. This can be a real asset, but not when I let it get me scattered. I feel energy from everyone; when in a crowd this can be something that gets me all scattered, like a horse at a show for the first time, overwhelmed with all the new sights and smells. This time I didn't let the snatches of conversation and other things around me distract my focus from the task at hand-warming up Don's horses and then my own, turning back, holding herd. I was serene and happy just to feel the horse beneath me, working for me.

And we showed so well. My herd work was superb and we were the picture of calm cool. I stayed centered and we didn't miss a beat. We won our class. This is just the beginning for me and Hal.