Riders Up

This came out of the truck today, where it had been collecting some dust since the Woodland's meet, a welcome piece of protection considering the possibilities that can occur the first time on the back of a yearling horse.

I've broken several of my own babies over the years. A couple of events, pictures or snap shots of moments in time of breaking past youngsters always come back to me.

The first is in that show barn about 20 years ago when one of those show trainers created such a huge moment of drama in getting onto a youngster for the first time in the middle of the dirt arena. Everyone was told to be quiet, the shush command rushing up and down the alleyways of the arena like dominos. And there was in the center of the arena this skinny cowboy with his boots and white cowboy hat for the next 30 min. with three people holding the horse, making this bfd about actually getting on, which he finally did with a palpable sigh of relief from his tensely waiting audience, and the horse just stood there, with myself the newbie trying to figure out what the heck that was all about. The only thing missing there was the drumroll when the fella actually did finally mount up.

The second memory is of my yearling black filly Double Maggs by Brookover (a full brother to Bold Forbes) just purchased for $4000.00 at Fasig Tipton. Maggs was my first break, and she never flinched, protested or did anything at all as i gradually over a few days applied saddle and girth. Then came the day some friends came to the farm just as I was about to apply the saddle. We were talking about this and that as I unconcernedly tightened the girth, and turned away to do something. Out of the corner of my eye i saw this filly jump off the ground on all fours at least three to four feet high up in the air, people scattering everywhere, and her landing then bucking off to the left.

I still put those two scenes together--the one to show how easy it is to get on, and the other as to what can happen. Hence today the Tippery Vest.

Really, this is going to be easy. I might have had my neighbor hold the horse and gotten on two weeks ago, but, i've wanted to do this one by myself. No audience please. Then whoops, as myself and the saddled Y approach the mounting block intentionally placed in the middle of a circle of flakes of hay, the three older horses decided this very moment to start munching the hay. And so an audience afterall, ringed around myself, Y, and the mounting block; three horses in a ten yard diameter circle. This company was welcome. And then, to add to the drama, my gray tomcat Rollin' Rodney, a frequent spectator to the proceedings, also parked himself just outside the circle of hay watching intently. The whole scene was worthy of a camera had i had one. Humerously, Rodney only moved when it was over.

I expected zero trouble. We've been bellying without problems, and the Astride has calmed this boy down to weight on his back. The only possible surprise to the yearling would be my right leg going over his back, and then the motion of sitting down. I got up on the three step mounting block, bellied 15 sec, walked the boy around it to maintain calm. repeated. on the third try i placed the left foot in the stirrup, and stood tall above him, watching his eyes for any reaction. there was none. walked again. repeated. In the first moment of slight tension, I put the right foot over the back, watching his eyes. i was suspended in the air with all weight on the left stirrup, we were without reaction. so I sat down. the horse remained completely calm. I got off and got on two more times. Y just stood there quietly through all. Rider is up. Drumroll please.

Sun. 12/17/06. After the faux breeze yesterday, Y rests.