Stay in Bed Or Try Harder?

I choose trying harder.

Bridget has been such a good girl lately that I was really looking forward to riding last night. I should have known better, because it's a known fact ponies feed on such weakness.

A is for Adorable, though...its her superpower.

My ride was awful. There's no other word for it. After months of being cheerfully in front of the leg, sucked back, don't wanna work pony made her grand reentry into my life. The good news is, after much back and forth, I did get her jumping off my leg again. The bad news is that the relaxation was completely gone, and she was back attempting to bully her way through my aids and the bridle. I, in turn, feel like when she's like this I ramp up to match and I ride like a bit of a bully...I hate using my spur and stick so much and then shes forward but pushy so we are doing a million rather abrupt down transitions to get her carrying herself instead of running off with me. Not a lot of harmony or lightness there. Always the need for more tools and knowledge.  A better rider than me might gave found a happy medium and fixed all of the "ick" in one ride, but, honestly I was starting to get discouraged and stopped after a couple of nice canters where was forward, yet responsive and waiting.

Quite flexible when there's food involved :) What's extra funny about this pic is I was mucking out and didn't latch the gate, she  seriously only needed to push it a little and she could have  gone out and eaten that green grass much more easily.

I was like "Phew, glad that's done, tomorrow is a new day!"

A ha ha ha ha, I'm so funny! My previously absolutely perfect to hack out pony decided she was also very much looking forward to being done with the result that she was super barn sour on our hack home. The usual 15min loose rein cool down hack took me over an hour, as we reviewed baby horse concepts such as staying in walk unless asked, halting when asked, without fussing and rearing(?!) Bucking/tantrums are also not a good choice when you don't get your way...you know fun stuff like that. Lots of turning around and riding away from home, riding past the driveway to the barn repeatedly, etc. When we actually got home I left her tied quite a while while I cleaned tack, before she got to go back in her paddock with dinner.  I'm left wondering if she never actually learned any of this as she was always so lazy that I didn't really need to teach her to stand or to be patient on my schedule. I was always focused on "go, Bridget, go!" Or maybe it was just a day for pony 'tude. Who knows.

See? This is our norm, happy ears, loose rein walking.

I was pretty discouraged last night, I won't lie. I never expect her to be perfect, but she was exceptionally grumpy and disrespectful right from the start, which sucks as  rider...I do like my horses to be happy and productive members of society! Also, as the rider, I was borderline close to getting super frustrated about how late it was getting and giving up. Patience is something I need too. I woke up this morning determined to try harder and to have a positive frame of mind for my ride today, so that's I hope a step in the right direction.

G unfortunately chose last night to tag along, and I made us super late for the dinner. I nominate him best horsey husband ever, because he never once complained, never once offered unsolicited advice or comments, just recognized something was up with the pony and stayed within hearing distance so he knew I was ok and let me work through it.

Although, on the drive home he did ask "Do you want to talk more about that GRP?" And, "Bridget is definitely not for sale?" :)

LOL, love him. He'd miss Bridget as much as I would. And I know he loves her mare tude. As for the GRP, yep, still talking that one over with my coach and my husband, and have it narrowed down to a favorite. I want to nail down that new work schedule and contract next week before I pursue things further though. Fingers crossed pretty dream pony doesn't sell in the meantime.