Go. Just Go.

Sounds like a Bridget ride!

I was pleased and sad at the same time when Bridget pulled out some 'don't wanna' stunts for EC. She's ridden her a couple of times before and made her look fabulous, so it was a bit disconcerting to see all the same drama I encounter, plus some extra because EC is more assertive and has better timing to correct things than I ever will. 

On the plus side, maybe I don't need to feel guilty about really enforcing things day after day? Sometimes I feel like I'm being a bully, but really it seems that's what is needing to be done at this point in time. 

The past week or so, B has been really difficult about going forward into contact. It's a little odd, since she was so soft and wonderful for so long, but it seems to be something we come back to now and then, and no rhyme or reason to it...pony just doesn't wanna sometimes! The only correlation I've noticed is she's more apt to be that way when she's generally being pushy and rude and needing some reminders about her manners. In other words, being a pony. At any rate, EC got the full taste of how a bad day on the pony feels.

Don't let the cuteness fool you

She jumped her quite a bit, and tried to manufacture some stops. On the plus side, she found Midge honest about getting over the jumps if she gets there to a reasonable spot, on the downside, the stops are happening due to issues in the canter. Pony can get a long forward stride all day long, but try to shorten it up and she can get all argumentative and quit. Makes sense, since we struggle a little with that off and on on the flat too, although not nearly on the same level as when we add jumps. Still doesn't explain the flat out "Nope" I was getting at other times. And, towards the end, we found that button too...when pony was getting tired and just not that into it anymore. Still, EC had a lot of fun on her and had the following feedback:

-I really and truly need to stop nagging and carrying her. Go means go. Also, B must carry herself on her own four feet, and take me where I point her - no holding her together!

-B seems to like jumping, but is probably always going to be a kick ride...she's not really into voluntarily expending extra energy doing anything :)

-B seriously needs to be fitter at speed....I should be doing canter and gallop sets on her, forget so much long slow stuff.

-Need to fix the canter and get it more reliably adjustable over fences - lots of small twisty courses with related distances in our future.

This pony is so easy in some ways...in others she's the most difficult horse I've ever ridden. I admit to being a little down and out when I saw all the drama she was giving EC about some pretty basic things we've addressed time and time again... will it ever end, will the pony ever develop an honest work ethic? EC says, no, she's a pony mare, it's what they do :) I do love the little beastie so I don't stay sad/mad for long.

Reposting because it's probably my favorite photo of us ever

She got borrowed for a kid's vaulting class yesterday and apparently was a super star. That's a win for her, because if the eventing thing doesn't work out she can get swarmed and jumped on by cute children all day - a career we all know she'd love! Just kidding, sort of, because we already have dressage as a back up plan too, poor pony. The vaulting thing is currently a double win for me because borrowing her means I get to borrow a horse from EC for a ride if I choose, also means Bridget has to canter around in side reins once a week, which is convenient timing for where we're at with the canter. That's one day less every week that I have to potentially fight with her myself about the whole going slowly into a contact thing...I think it will be good for her to find the rules are the rules and don't change no matter who is handling her or what she's doing :)