Teenagers

My ride yesterday was solid. Ashke and I were sharing the arena with Laz and K, plus Kat and L. The outdoor arena is large enough that even with water still standing at the ends, there was plenty of space for us to ride and do what we needed to do. I did a lot of canter work, focusing on keeping Ashke straight. Even at 10 in the morning it was starting to get hot and we took several walk breaks. We did a lot of transitions, then did our trot circles and leg yields, finishing up with figure 8s and canter leg yields. By that time K had taken Laz in and L was done, so I finished up with Ashke. I knew he would be anxious if left in the arena alone after having company and I wasn’t going to fight with him.

I suggested to L that we do a ride around the property. I wasn’t expecting to go far, but hoped that the walk-about could help L’s confidence and communication with Kat. Kat is a Friesan-Arab cross and L has come off of her a couple of times. The last time that happened, L broke one of the arena fence boards with her helmet (always wear a helmet. Always). She has had a bit of PTSD about riding the mare again, after that, which we can all relate to. L agreed with some trepidation and we set off down the road. Ashke was on a loose rein, but Kat was a little tense and L was worried about a rabbit spook (they have big icky teeth). We were about half way to our goal when L shouted “horses out” and I turned around to see three teenaged QH fillies charging toward us at a breakneck gallop.

Fuck.

Kat spun around and thought about bolting, which L redirected into a one rein spin. Ashke, meanwhile, got puffy and a bit bouncy in response to three young girls throwing themselves at him. I checked that shit quick and told him to stand. He did, losing his puffed up chest and kind of deflated into place. Kat was standing still and watching the careening babies, having decided standing was preferable to spinning, and I quickly swung off Ashke. As soon as I was off, I took a hold of Kat’s rein and held her for L to get down. Once L was on the ground, I figured things had just gotten a whole lot better. 

We moved down the road toward the girls, using Ashke and Kat as a visual block to keep them from tearing off the property. They were mostly interested in interacting with the horses in the field along the road, so that helped make it easier. K went to find the BO while I handed Ashke off to L to hold. I snagged a halter off the nearest paddock and approached the fillies.

I had met the two black fillies in the indoor about a week ago and they had been very approachable then. I got the rope around the smallest filly’s neck, and was able to hold her despite the halter having the shortest lead rope in the world. I couldn’t have been longer than about 3’. I finally wrangled her head into the halter, amidst several half-hearted protests and attempts to break free, and headed to the barn. The second black filly followed (they do turn out together a lot and our buds). Once I got them back in the indoor arena, I got the door behind me closed but then had to follow the other filly as she made beeline for the far door which was also open. I followed her, hoping to get a chance to cut her off before she could exit, but it was not to be. She wandered into the show barn, into the bathroom which has a sitting room next to it, came back out just as I got a bit in front of her and I managed to get the front door closed before she could escape back out into the world. At that point she was willing to follow me back into the indoor arena, where I managed to get the doors closed and the two of them safely penned. I released the little filly and headed back outside to collect my horse.

He, Kat and L were fine. The BO had captured the roan filly and was leading her back inside. I let her know where I had left the other two, and then collected Ashke. He had been such a good boy and didn’t so much as fuss while all of the teenaged shenanigans were going on. Thank gods, he’s matured.

I have to tell you, teach your horse a command for holding still. I use stand, but you can use whatever floats your boat. It has saved me several times and in this case helped defuse the situation that could have occurred with Kat. Even though Ashke was up and bouncy and wanted to be stallionesque, he planted his feet and didn’t move until I was off his back. And once I was off his back, he was perfect from the ground - no nonsense, no antics, just a solid, calm presence in the midst of much teenaged angst.

This horse just gets better and better.