Sunday 24 January 2016

Reckless Rebellion

This afternoon I did something kind of rebelliously reckless and out of character. I asked PL if she wanted to take Nancy for a stroll in the woods. She was tacked up and I'd already turned Kika out so I was going to walk alongside N and decided to collect Kika en route and just lead her rather than haul her back in and faff tacking her up.

Our woods are quite hilly, lots of up and down which i had inconveniently forgotten when I suggested leading the lazier of my two horses (really i was dragging her up the hills) ... an extra workout I hadn't signed up for. As we came to the last hill I was tired of hauling her so as we passed a fallen tree trunk I rebelliously hopped up bareback (well she was in her rug) without a helmet *gasp*
Very reckless of me considering she hadn't been ridden since the saddle fitter was out the week before last and she was in a headcollar and leadrope. But she immediately put my mind at ease when after hopping up she started excitedly trotting and i was questioning this irresponsible action of mine when I made the slow-down sound (heard at the end of the video in the last post) and she responded straight away and settled into a lovely calm striding walk to catch up to Nancy & PL who obvs were negotiating the hill up out of the woods better.

Apologies for lack of media accompaniment for this post.
 I only snapped a couple of pics of N & PL
 edited for anonymity.
How adorbs is Nancy's little face?!
♡♡♡

I stayed on her back until we got back to the field and K marched like the big brave girl she has become when hacking with Nancy - aka alongside N or ever so slightly in front until she sees something scary and tries to swing a u-turn to exit stage left. However even though N scared herself passing too close to a barrier K didn't flinch and remained calm with the same soothing slow-down voice command.

I am beyond ridiculously happy with how it played out, I don't know why I go so long between spins on her cos the longer I wait between rides the more I build up silly scenarios in my mind and then have to do something last-minute and silly to catch myself off guard and hop up. *sigh* The ridonculous mind games I play with myself *blush*

PSA - I do not condone the reckless rider behaviour  I undertook today, hopping onto a horse in the woods with snow melting from trees and slush underfoot. I know accidents can happen to anyone at any stage and do not think myself hot shiz - i am glad K had her level head on today and that nothing spooked us. This is not something I do often and despite my glee at having hopped on again after our mini break, it is mixed emotions as i imagine all the scenarios that could have gone wrong.

20 comments:

  1. Adorable photo of Nancy! Love the quarter sheet :) Sometimes being a little bit reckless is a good thing! But put a helmet on next time :P

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    1. There won't be a next time - hopping up without a helmet is not something I make a habit of...or at least I try really hard not to. Sometimes I lose the run of myself and do ridonculous things - there is no condoning it

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  2. I won't condone it, but it sounds like she was a lovely girl for the trip :)

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    1. I don't condone it myself, I'm sort of disappointed in myself as well as being super proud of how good a girl she was

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  3. Yay! You need more snow pony pics! Bec xxx

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    1. Nooooooo I hate the cold and snow...but it does make for fun pictures when warm enough to have hands out without gloves

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  4. Aw that sounds like a lovely day!

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    1. It wasn't a bad way to spend a Sunday midday by any standards ☺

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  5. It sounds like you learned your lesson, thinking about what could've happened. Glad it all worked out tho. Cute picture of Nancy, as usual. :)

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    1. Sure did, now here's hoping I remember the guilt I've been wracked with and don't do it again

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  6. Aw glad it turned into a nice outing tho. Sometimes I think the horses know when they need to just be good :)

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    1. Dunno if she knows when to be good...if she does then she deff selectively switches it on and off.
      I hedged my bets as she had been so good for the stroll and we were going uphill so tiring for all involved ;-)

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  7. As long as you realize it isn't a good idea to do a lot I think you are ok!

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    1. I think the trepidation I have felt since has cemented my usual only-in-a-helmet mantra

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  8. Don't beat yourself up about it!! We all get complacent and careless and bad things can happen, but nothing did so let it go. There are risks involved in almost everything we do. Heck we could be killed walking across a street. I am definitely pro helmet and I try to always wear one, but don't be guilt ridden and beat yourself up over it. Let go of the negativity and strive to not do it again here on out. :D I'm glad K was a good girl and that you had fun!

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    1. If i give myself a break I run the risk of being reckless & hypocritical again. Typically I cannot fathom why anyone would put themselves at risk by riding without a helmet so i am still super disappointed in myself ... even now so many weeks later

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    2. I didn't mean let yourself off the hook, I mean don't stress yourself out feeling guilty about it. Hanging on to things that happened that you can't change isn't healthy. Learn from the past and move on. I have no doubt you'll never do that again, so what's the point of feeling disappointed and guilty about it now? I'm probably just not explaining what I mean very well lol.

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    3. I'm prb not either lol, I won't pretend I'm losing sleep over it but I am still kicking myself for having done it (when I think of it) - it is enough of a guilt trip, I hope, to stop me.doingnit again ☺

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    4. Okay good. As long as it is a healthy level of guilt.. ;)

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