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[RC] [Guest] crossing water with a green Arab - Ridecamp Guest

On Behalf Of elf

Dear Ridecampers,

I spent Saturday in the saddle with a green horse doing the creek dance.  I
thought my 5 year old Arab mare, Lyric had learned the creek was no big
deal.  She had been crossing it without a problem for 2 months now.  Boy,
was I wrong!

I had talked my reluctant husband, Jerry into joining me to share a
beautiful southern California spring day.  Isn't this why we live here?
Jerry was in the lead on a seasoned, stable gelding, Shai ("Shy").

Jerry decides to take the trail to the right and check out our new secret
trail.  No one had ridden it in several weeks due to rain.  This trail has a
different crossing than the one I had been working Lyric on, but she had
crossed it lots of times about 2 months ago.  This creek crossing is between
6 to 18 inches deep, clear with some large rock with sand in between.  It's
cold about 50 degrees and moves at a nice pace. But no white water, no
rapids. It is about 6 feet wide and has a nice path with no lose rocks.

Well, when we came to the crossing, Lyric starts dancing and will not cross.
Shai went across several times to show her how an expert does it.  No, she
was not going to walk in one hoof at a time.  I felt her back twitch and she
starts to dip her bottom in anticipation of a jump.  I scream NOOOOO!!!!
Lyric let out a sigh and restarts the dance.

I dismount and start to walk across the creek, attempting to lead her
across.  She will still not cross and gives me that look, the "you are nuts,
I ain't doing this" look.  After about 2 minutes of asking her to cross, I
am knocked into the water by Lyric who had jumped onto my right foot. I come
up spitting I am so mad I could kill her!!!

Lyric is looking at me like "what's wrong with you?"  My husband is
speechless and starts taking pictures and a video of my impromptu "training
by feel" method for creek crossing.  I slog back and forth across the creek
at least 10 times, swatting her if she gets to close to me.  I make her move
one hoof at a time to my command and praise her and stroke her for the
correct move.  I back her a step if she moves more than one hoof at a time.
This seems to work OK.  I'm still so mad I do not feel all the pain in my
foot, but know I'm going to hurt.

I attempt to drain some water out of my boots to remount.  What a sight!
Jerry keeps telling me it's the best wet t-shirt contest he's seen in ages.
That better be true as we have been married for almost 12 years!  It is
really hard to mount as I have at least 10 gallons of water in my boots and
soaked jeans.  But up I go and Lyric crosses the creek again.  We check out
the secret trail that looks lush with poison oak.

When we get home, via the creek again, I finally get around to taking off my
boots.  Oh boy, my right foot looks broken, but I can walk with only a
little pain.  Guess I'm not going to ride for a few days.  Guess that means
I'll be doing the creek dance again too.  Life with a young horse!!!

Nancy Reed
Lazy J Ranch
Elfin Forest, California



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