Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Catfish is absolutely right.  A dead calm horse can still spook and does. 

Two of my current "children" have taught me alot...Sebastian the Neurotic and Doimas the Beastie.  Both are quick as lightening. Now, Sebastian doesn't spook all that often, but due to a past history of abuse, he has "panic attacks".  If you try to ride it thru, he only gets worse. For him, the only thing to do is get off and stroke his neck, talking softly to him until he calms down.  He will also to an "exit, stage left" with little or no warning.  I can't count the number of times I've ended up dangling around his neck.  My neighbor, Natalie, says I look like one of those stunt riders from old movies where the cowboy or Indian is hanging under the horse's neck, firing a gun.

Doimas, as you may well know if you've read any of my previous posts, is a wild beastie.  He spins, twirls, kicks up his heels, leaps in the air, all sorts of very acrobatic maneuvers.  He's the easier one to stay aboard.

What I learned to do early in the game was do verbally say out loud, "Breathe..relax. Deep breaths...in, out, breathe."  It really does work.  Plus I physically relax my body in the saddle.  As we all know, a horse will respond alot to your tenseness or lack thereof. And it's a whole heck of a lot easier to stay in the saddle if your body is relaxed.

I'm thinking we all get scared from time to time.  Can't say we'd be very sane not to. But I just wanted to share what works for me.  It's gotten to the point that now I just stay relaxed in the saddle, even when I'm thinking Doimas is going to explode under me at any moment.  When he does and I'm relaxed, it's all that much easier to ride it out.  Being relaxed actually causes your body to conform to your saddle. Stiffness just makes it worse.  If you keep that in mind and practise, it eventually comes naturally.

I'm also one to hang on to the reins, no matter what.  I absolutely HATE walking home (and have done so numerous times over the years).  Trouble is, I've been drug alot because of my bullheadedness.  I call it body surfing.  My last event was with Sebastian just a few months ago.  Ended up with sand in my ears, down my shirt, in my pants, boots, etc., but I didn't have to walk home!

Hope my little suggestions help.

Cindy Edwards
M33041
Buckeye, AZ