In Which We Discover That I am a Wuss

This week hasn't been overly conducive to riding. It snowed a bunch overnight going into Friday morning, so roads were pretty crappy. Then cold hit Saturday and Sunday. It warmed up Monday and Tuesday - but didn't really feel like it. And freezing cold again from Wednesday through the next weekend.

Monday I had great plans to ride both horses. Phantom was going to get an easy walk under saddle, and I'd figure out what to do with Cisco once I determined his mindset after 3 days of no work.

I redid Phantom's tail since Wednesday was farrier day and no one wants to touch a poopy tail stump.
Hello Kitty duct tape this time.

Cisco lunged super relaxed in the worst corner of the arena - probably the best I'd ever seen him. Lots of dropping and relaxing his neck, at trot and even at canter. When leading him back down to the mounting block end, he started up his idiot dance again. I really must work on his lack of patience when I'm trying to fiddle around with getting girth and stirrups organized.

I did a few minutes of leading work with him. This generally works quite nicely to get his brain to slow down a bit and pay attention.

Then I took him over to the mounting block. And he stood rock solid while I hopped on. Lots of pats and scritches.

Hands On grooming gloves give great wither scritches.

He was quite forward as we walked around, which is pretty normal. He is definitely a horse who gives the feeling that he's going to take me somewhere. He's not relaxed, and I wouldn't really say nervous. But he has a bit of an impatient "let's get this show on the road" kind of feeling.

Until we heard a loud sound that sounded like an explosion from the neighbour's property. Which is, of course, at the scary end of the arena. That definitely made him nervous.

Cisco kept his composure though. So we did some trot, which was a wee bit more forward than it needed to be. I slowed my posting, and he almost came back to walk. He listened!

We heard some other noises (again at the scary end). Ther were a few noises in a row, and I quickly realized that it was snow coming off the roof. I'm rather embarrassed to say that I overreacted, and the horse barely reacted.

Cisco hasn't heard the snow slide off the roof yet. I have. It's really loud when it slides off a Coverall arena. Cisco stopped when the noises started and stared at where they were coming from. I had that sudden realization of what the noise was, and options quickly went through my head on what the outcome could be. And I hate to admit that I jumped off before things got a chance to go really badly.

And then we didn't get the big noise. I wussed out for no reason. Other than stopping, Cisco didn't react.

The not worried about sounds face.

Oh well. He lunged great and stood for mounting great. And my face was frozen (I had forgotten my neck warmer) and I couldn't feel my big toe (wrong socks). I wasn't getting back on.

Now that I know he's not necessarily going to react in a big way I will try not to bail at the first sign of danger.

Phantom ended up getting the day off as I was too damn cold.