Hooves Leading to a Dancing Destiny

luck on my side*

yaaaaay it is Saturday!! As usual, I take a carrot with for JJ, and an apple for myself as a quick snack. When I arrived I started tacking him up and gave him the carrot. Which, unfortunately was a bad idea... because that was all he had on his mind while I tried to put his saddle and brushing boots on! Each time I reached back to put his numnah and saddle on, he would step back with me thinking I still have more for him to eat, and he could smell the apple on my hands. I finally got his saddle on his back, but no way for me to fasten it, I could not even reach it. My instructor walked past to tack up the horse she was going to ride and I quickly asked her to hold him for me so I could do up his girth. After that I had put on his left side's boots when she tacked up Bismark, who she was going to ride. Our lessons are always on outrides, and then we do some jumping and dressage in a huge sand spot which we call the Top Sands. we have solid logs and show jumps as well as dressage letters there.

Today another boy was riding with us, Evan. He is about 9 or 10, and a very brave rider, as Billy, who is kind of retired, once threw him when Billy decided to take off after me and JJ jumping jumps from 60cm to 80cm with Evan who have never jumped before. He fell off when Billy slid to a stop behind JJ who was likely to kick Billy lights out as he hates Billy for some reason, and Evan just got on and rode with broken slacks and all.

So we went out on our ride and for a change JJ was very energetic. Most probably because Billy was with. We rode for a little while then we arrived at the top sands where she let me warm him up for jumping. Another surprise to me, JJ listened to me and did a canter circle which is huge to me, as he usually only listens to my instructor. we did some nice jumping and continued our outride. Unfortunately there was no other horses for me to ride or train that day and my instructor was away he next weekend, so I decided to visit my friend and go for a ride with her and her dad.

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Today I am going to ride Outjie! Well I talked to my friend and instead of riding her mom's horse this time, a 3 year old massive over 16hh Percheron (who tried to buck me off the last time I rode the big boy) I am riding her dad's horse, Outjie. He is about 15hh, chestnut with a blaze, Anglo Arab. He used to be an endurance horse, but he is wonderfully schooled and does just about anything for his rider, and jumps up to 1m. I arrived late, so I had to tack him up and catch up to Talisha and her father. They went out about 15 minutes ago, so I have to go catch up as fast as I can. This is my first day to ride him though and now I would have to go out alone on him for the first time, and he was quite frisky and the weather was bad, and he is a little bit spooky.

When I got on him it was love at first ride. He is comfy, and listens so nicely. I was told not to let him trot or canter as he might take off since he is alone. At first I only walked him, but of course I felt a little bit braver after a few minutes, pushed him in a trot and he listened perfectly with only a touch of my calves and a click noise. After about another 5 minutes of trotting I wanted him to do a canter, and never had I ridden a horse that was this quick to please his rider.

I caught up to Talisha and her dad. She was riding her new warmblood mare imported from Germany. Her dad was riding Mattise, the Percheron. We did a few circles and I was relieved to feel such a responsive animal moving nicely underneath me. "Why don't you try a few jumps with him?", Talisha asked me. "Sure!". I got him trotting and and the corner cantered him. I turned him to the jump using my leg and only opening out my inside hand.

Used to riding JJ, I am used with having a little bit of speed, and this was not something Outjie had in the Top Sands even though he is faster than a lot of horses in general. Riding him towards the jump, I was thinking 'oh no please don't refuse boy!' but with no problems we flew over the 80cm jump. I felt so proud! My first ride on him and I am jumping him at quite a height. We did a few times, and I even had him canter a circle which was so easy compared to riding JJ. We went on an outride afterwards and that was when the weather gave us a hard time. It started pouring. So we decided to head home.

We were riding down the path when we came across a wood cutter with a wheelbarrow. Chammy, Talisha's mare, is incredibly spooky and went crazy at the sight of the stumps and the wood cutter. She jumped around, almost throwing Talisha off and then reversing into me and Outjie. Outjie then got a fright and also jumped around. I grabbed a piece of mane and just concentrated on keeping my weight in the middle of the saddle. Afterwards Chammy relaxed and once again took the lead and we went home.

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After riding with Talisha, I went to visit a mare I am training for a 8 year old girl to ride. Unfortunately things are not going as planned. We found out that she has the habit of bolting home, which had me jumping of the last time I rode her. She is currently 16 and had been bolting home since more than 6 years ago. She is sound, has no pain and just about everything she never had before. I have tried so  much and risked riding her with no helmet loads of times before as I didn't have my own yet at that time. But currently she is unhappy. Biting, never have her ears forward, just not having interest in life. She is a beautiful mare, 14hh pinto skewbald. After talking to the owner, she said that either they have to keep her, or give her back (home lease) or sell her on behalf of the owner. I became quite fond of the mare after having nice gallops through vineyards and swimming in the dam, and I am afraid to say that she would have to be sold. Lately she has just become an danger to everyone, and even kicked her owner. I do wish it doesn't have to happen but she would not be the right match for the girl and Daisy have to go before someone gets seriously hurt...

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So! I had another talk with Talisha and she told me I can come ride Outjie any time I want and I can help her train him!!! soooo excited!! Things are really changing around here, luck seems to be on my side...