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4/16/02
TWO GOLD STARS
Tempest has had good rides the last few trips. I have ridden
her 7 days in a row about 4 miles each ride. She walks probably
3 miles on a loose rein, the rest is at a medium trot on a loose
rein. I lope her probably 100-150 yards of that distance. She
had Friday and Saturday off because we were at the Mountain Side
ride at which Gail finished 26th on the 50 and Plenty finished
27th on the LD 25 her 3rd ride. She won the tail end award and
finished brightly.
So, as I saddled Tempest, I didn't lounge her or tie her very
long. I stepped onto her and we rode off. My only concern was
that we had received 1" of rain on Saturday so the trails
were slick.
I trotted her up the hill from the creek, walked over the fallen
Redwood tree top and trotted to the gate. She did well. We walked
3/4 of a mile to the old railroad bed. From there we trotted
about half a mile. Two motor cycles were headed towards us. They
stopped and turned them off. Good kids. We talked briefly and
walked on , she did well.
Puddles and water have been a challenge to her but my method
of working on that is paying off. She doddled through and around
them with not a flinch.
I have changed my routine from trotting hills and walking the
flats to trotting the flats and walking the hills. I did that
to change the pattern so she doesn't get into a habit. I want
to keep her guessing and never attempting to out think me. Anytime
she wants to trot, we walk etc. If she is thinking walk and relaxed,
I might ask her to trot a 100 feet and walk. Keep it simple.
What I am looking for is when I ask her to walk, she drops to
the walk immediately and walks flat footed on a loose rein.
The south end of the chair loop has several 4"-6" diameter
fallen Alder trees criss crossed on the trail which make great
walk overs. She does them slowly and looks at each tree which
is the only way that I allow her to go through. If I didn't do
that, she would blast through not looking.
I have been unhappy with her through the winter because it was
real difficult to maintain a consistent riding program. She seems
to be telling me, now that I am riding her everyday, she wants
to do it right.
Tempest, as I said earlier, is going to be a good endurance horse.
Two Gold stars to Tempest.
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