Riding Test ~ Day One

 

Several readers left me a comment saying they were surprised that ‘Sugar’s’ owner didn’t bother to clean her up before we arrived. And I have to say I wasn’t surprised at all. Yes, it would have been nice, but I understood why she didn’t. In defense of the owner, she doesn’t live where her horses are being winter pastured. She lives over an hour north of the property and she had to meet us off the highway, about 15 min. north, because it would have been too difficult for us to try to find the location on our own as it’s way in the boonies.

The other reason is due to horse budget. I got taken when I bought my mare, Baby Doll over 2 years ago and I’m embarrassed to admit that I paid $3,500 for her. But even after a year of trying to find her a good, appropriate home, I had to take a huge loss because of the terrible horse market right now and I only got $900 for my mare. So, that’s my horse budget, if y’all must know. And unfortunately, most horses in the under $1000 range, just aren’t presented the same way that horses of higher price and quality are presented. So there ya have it. The reason why ‘Sugar’ was a muddy puppy when we picked her up.

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Ranchman John and I drove over to Colleen’s house Saturday to see how ‘Sugar’ would do under-saddle. She hasn’t been ridden for a few months so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

When we got there, Colleen was already on ‘Sugar’ and there were several other riders there, riding their horses, from our Snowy Mountain Cowgirl Club. It was great to see Christine, riding her new gaited gelding, and her hubby, Cory was there, too. He and I posed together, as crazy, spooky Zombies during the ACTHA Halloween CTR Event in October. He volunteered as one of the challenge judges and I was one of the assistant judges. It was wonderful to visit with everyone.

Colleen rode ‘Sugar’ in the arena for about 30 minutes, testing her out in her steering, stopping, trotting and cantering.

Colleen decided against using the tie down and the long-shanked single jointed snaffle bit that her owner sent along with her. Instead, Colleen used a snaffle with a copper dog bone and short shanks.

‘Sugar’ seemed to go well in that and was easy to steer and stop. She understands leg and seat, too.

    

Colleen has a nice little trail obstacle course set up on her property with hills, steps, ‘tunnels’, bridges and a water obstacle (in season), too.

 

I thought that ‘Sugar’ did really well with the obstacles that Colleen rode her through and over.

Even when a couple horses from Colleen’s herd came running over ‘Sugar’ didn’t get too out of hand, although that does seem to be a negative with her. She is very interested in other horses and seems to feed off their energy, probably because she’s not been around so many horses all at once. But I think many horses, who are being ridden in a field of loose horses would get excited when the loose horses start running.

‘Sugar’ was still a little excited after the loose horses got chased away and moved on, but she did eventually settle down once the high energy level those horses caused, went away.

I’m hoping to ride her on the obstacle course on Sunday, if the weather is ok. It’s snowing right now and is expected to snow again tomorrow. Bleh! I’m sick of winter. I want to ride! (Don’t laugh at my wonky legs. My stirrups were way too short and I was perched up there rather awkwardly. I didn’t readjust the stirrups after Colleen dismounted as I wasn’t planning on riding for very long on Saturday because it was so brutally windy. I must give ‘Sugar’ lots of credit for being so very patient and forgiving having me up there riding so badly.)

I did get to spend quite a bit of time riding ‘Sugar’ in the arena Saturday, though. First on a lead line until I got a feel for how ‘Sugar’ would act with me on her back, and then on my own. We did figure eights, serpentines, circles, we backed up and we went over the poles and onto a wooden platform and around logs several times. She was a good girl and we had fun.

She is so different than Baby Doll, and even Atta Bay and Rosie, in that to get her to move you’ve got to squeeze her hard and even kick her. I never had to kick Baby Doll and I never even had to squeeze. Just a simple cluck or word ‘walk’ and she moved. If I would have kicked her, Baby Doll would have sent me to the moon!

Her owner says she uses a crop on ‘Sugar’ to make her move. I’ve never used a crop before and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I suppose if I did buy ‘Sugar’ I could wear spurs, but I think I prefer a softer, more sensitive horse. I wonder if that can be re-trained?

I did try something different with ‘Sugar’, instead of kicking her to walk over the poles, for instance, I’d praise her like mad and encourage her to move on with my voice. ‘Sugar’ really seemed receptive to that and was even willing to try harder. I liked that a lot.

  

Ranchman John took some photos, but not too many. And he keeps forgetting how to take video with my camera. Please don’t focus on my terrible leg and heel position. We didn’t re-adjust the stirrups after Colleen dismounted, and it felt awkward. I didn’t think I’d ride her all that long with the bitter wind blowing, but I did end up riding her for at least an hour.

I wish Ranchman John would have gotten photos after I dismounted ‘Sugar’ and we exchanged Colleen’s saddle for my own Henry Miller Amish-Made Plantation Saddle. I was able to get back on and ride for another 15 minutes in my saddle. It was my first time back in my own saddle since my accident, over a year ago. I love that saddle.

(You can see some of the saddle in this old photo of me riding Baby Doll, as well as in the Henry Miller link above. This photo also brings back old memories. I always thought it was funny how Baby Doll's mouth would get all frothy white and drool when she wore her Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle.)

It’s so comfy with it’s gel pad suspended seat, but the cantle is low and it has no swells, so I don’t feel as secure in it anymore, especially on steep trails. It seems too big for me now, too. And it may have even helped contribute to me falling when Baby Doll teleported. Everyone at Colleen’s ranch were very curious about the saddle, though. I admit, it does look rather odd. lol!

(Like this silly old photo of me in my saddle, riding Baby Doll in the pitch black of night. I remember being blinded by that flash, too. lol!)

It was so cold and windy while I was riding, that Ranchman John went back to the truck to stay warm. But……Oh, I can’t forget! Ranchman John got up on ‘Sugar’, too. It’s been over two years since he’s been on a horse, so I just took him around on a lead line until he got comfortable. I think he enjoyed himself and ‘Sugar’ was a good girl the entire time.