Coda

[glenatron]

I got home this morning at around 7 am after a comfortable enough but largely sleepless flight.

We called at the yard on the way home to give the ponies their breakfast and say hello to them, which they appreciated. Well maybe they mostly appreciated the hay. Either way we went home to a much appreciated breakfast of our own and then returned to visit with our horses properly and for me to have a little ride on Zorro.

Zorro has obviously studied what makes for a good story, because when I got on him he let me know in no uncertain terms that he was a retired horse who didn't have to do work any more. He grumped and crowhopped and bucked and squealed in classic Zorro style. We didn't get any pictures of him jumping up and down, but we did get a few of me moving him out a little to see if that helped get rid of some of those rebel thoughts...

"Get on, lunky!"

"Would you like to try that buck again, Zorro?"

Sitting on Zorro's little tantrum really made me realise how far I have pushed my comfort zone now- it really did feel less significant ( not sure that is the right word, but my body clock believes it to be 1:45pm on the second day I've been awake so it will have to do ) than it ever has, I just stayed where I was and made it difficult for him to keep bucking and kept asking him to move on. In a few minutes I had a willing, straight and (by his standards) forward going kind of a Zorro. I felt more competent and more effective than I ever have. It really made it clear to me how much I have changed in the last month. Martin and Jennifer had created a special "Donut Club 2009 - Most Improved" award sweatshirt that I was presented with this morning ( or yesterday morning, I just don't know ) at the end of the course and as well as being an awesome thing to have been given and a great souvenir of the month I really felt that improvement today.


It pretty much counts as a win as far as we're concerned.

Comments

[gnapp.livejournal.com]

That's great! That's when you see how far you've come - when you can compare with how it was before.

I bet it's the cowboy hat! :-)

[flax.livejournal.com]

Aw, Zorro has to be one of my favourite LJ horses. He's a hoot!

It's so cool that you can really tell a difference from when you left on the course to now. :)

[stu-the-elder.livejournal.com]

That's some good larnin', perfesser!

- Crump :)

[(Anonymous)]

Welcome home Ben. That sounds like one hell of a holiday! looking forward to hearing all the details when we next meet up.

[tom909.livejournal.com]

How come my comment was anonymous - if this one is as well it's from me, Tom.

[spirithorse21.livejournal.com]

ooo. I like the new look with the long coat and the cowboy hat on the hairy beast.

Also, congrats on the great improvement. I must say, you certainly *look* confident and in control in the pictures. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/blitzen_/]

good work, mate. nice to see that confidence & realisation that you can handle whatever your pony decides to throw at you.

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

\o/ WICTORY!!

[makoiyi.livejournal.com]

Hee, sorry I haven't posted in a while, you know why. Love it. Your confidence is brilliant and he'll feel that straight down the reins. Just put those feet a little futher back *g* and those heels down a bit more and you'll be even more secure. I do like though that it 'isn't' your feet keeping you there but your balance. You 'look' more happy and comfortable than some of the photos I've seen of you. And, yes, as others have said, Zorro is a wonderful guy.

[penella22.livejournal.com]

Your body posture in that first photo says it all- I'm convinced I'd better get out of your space just looking at you. Clearly Zorro was too.

How nice that the month paid off and did what you wanted it to do. I'm so glad you feel it was a worthwhile experience. I see a difference in how you're riding too...more balanced, and more...upright? You look more solid in the saddle, and surprisingly more like a classical dressage rider. Not a bad side effect of spending a month with some serious cowboys...

[z111.livejournal.com]

Gotta love the naughty ponies!

I'm so surprised that you feel such radical changes. After all of your lunge lessons, I'd have thought you'd have the most confident seat around!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Time on the lunge is great for the paces you're in on the lunge. Time riding colts is great for handling things when they get really hectic and in Zorro's case realising that things are only a little bit hectic compared with what I've been sat on lately.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

The last month has been a journey into pulling my hat down, chucking my feet forward, pressing my tailbone against the cantle and not falling off. It's the kind of seat that will make our instructor cry but it's handy for when things get interesting.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Also I have forgotten how to use tiny english stirrups :)

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

That's the old "LJ randomly doesn't log you in" feature. Happens a lot...

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

The difference is largely in the hat, I'm sure.

It is, as Tom has observed previously, all about the hatmanship.

[spoondog.livejournal.com]

Glad you're home. Glad it was an amazing and useful experiance.

We will have to visit and see photos and hear tall tales.

You look great and totally the returning traveller part.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

You will indeed. We'll be properly moved in to our new house in a month or so, which will make for a good excuse for folk to come and visit with us.

[z111.livejournal.com]

Poor Zorro!

[oifonly.livejournal.com]

Yeehaw! Poor Zorro. He's in for a shock!