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May 9, 2015: Trail Trials: Important Revelations

Sometimes I hit bottom and descend to the murky depths, that is the place where the whale shit resides. I then have a choice. I can either rise back up to the surface or remain on the bottom. This time, I stayed on the bottom for a bit longer than usual. I am slowly rising back up. A wise decision, otherwise I’d get the bends. The bends are painful, and I don’t want to die in a painful fashion.

Raudi and my performance at today’s local trail trails can only be described as being lackluster. We did terribly. I couldn’t get her to settle down – and once in the arena I failed to keep her



attention. This, in the past has been a common problem. This is one way of looking at the situation. Another way – Raudi was unsettled, but I got her calm enough so that we were able to do an adequate job and not totally disgrace ourselves.

I did this by first putting her in the round pen, and letting her race around. She galloped about, and kicked and snorted, then began eating grass. I then walked her around – and fortunately, was able to get her into the second arena, thus allowing her check out the obstacles beforehand. Once in the area, we were not able to do what was first required, that is close the gate. I got flustered. Raudi spooked a bit at the next obstacle, a sheep in a trailer. We went through the streamer curtain okay, but then were not able to pull the log attached to a rope because the line got tangled to a post. We muddled out way through the objects in the second arena, and then moved on to the first. She by now was settled – the only thing we could not do (because she was not trained to do it) was push a large ball.

The above may be immaterial. What’s material is this – afterwards, I realized that I’m not cut out for showing. First of all, I don’t have the temperament. I get rattled too easily. Second of all, I don’t have the horse for this kind of thing. Raudi reads me too well. Thirdly, I don’t enjoy hanging out at shows and watching the horsey doing. I hung out for 4-5 hours yesterday and was in the arena for 5-10 minutes. This was an extreme, there being only one event. There is more activity in jumping shows and the like, but trail trials, everyone is judged individually. I do enjoy competitive trail ride competition because I’m going for great lengths of time. The trail trials and CTR scene are like sprint vs endurance running. I prefer the latter.

I decided that my forte is working with other people and assisting them in developing a better working relationship with their horses. I could give Dick and assist yesterday because my hands were full with Raudi. Had I helped him, he would have done far better.

I am, right now, like a little wind up doll that’s pointed in the right direction. I am working on getting centered riding instruction certification. And I’m working on getting a centered riding clinic going here. And I’m working on getting Raudi and I equitation lessons.

I don’t have the desire to show, but I do like learning and working with an instructor, one on one, with my horse. I’ve located an instructor – we just, as of yet, haven’t managed to touch bases with one another.

My friend Ruth is now providing me with the momentum needed for getting the centered riding clinic going. She’s wanting help Susan Harris to give an anatomy in motion presentation – this could be the ticket. We’re sure to get a good number of people interested in watching this.

Well, life goes on. Can’t spend any more time in the murky depths, dwelling on my failings. However, I do think that spending some time on the bottom is a good thing; otherwise, you fail to see your successes. Gotta move on. A woman’s gotta do what a man can’t do. The latter is a good subject for yet another dispatch.

Next: 123. 5/10/15: Easy and Difficult

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