Our barn is a little unusual. If a horse needs exercise, out of the stall, head clearing trot and canter, then we can ride each others horses. This is different from schooling, or actual training, which is reserved for Hugh's hands. But if you are equal in proficiency as the owner, and the same owner is working or away, then you can rise one, two, or three horses after your lesson. More time in the saddle, extra conditioning for me, always a treat.
Yesterday, I got to ride Capote. This is the middle of winter, and he is clipped. Sort of makes him look like a Marine recruit, with a new crew cut, the icy air directed straight to the unaccustomed scalp. Energizing to say the least. He was on his toes, perusing the horizon for anything alarming, any excuse to act genuinely scared, basically any excuse to buck me off, to be frank.
But we managed to keep our cool, cadenced trot and lovely canter, settled down until he felt truly relaxed and got his wiggles out in a safe (for me) manner. I returned him to the barn and proudly told Antonio, "No loco" in my limited Spanish. I thought I was super horse whisperer in training
Deflation time. Antonio admitted he lunged Capote that morning. Deflation, not a horse whisperer but regular amateur dreamer. But dreaming is fun too.
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