Remember as a kid your first ride on the carousel? Riding a big firey horse (I always picked a black one) up and down and around? You felt like you were riding the wind and each leap of the horse your heart soared higher and higher. You wished the ride would never stop because you would have to come back to earth and leave the magnificent steed you were on. Well..........
I got to relive that wonderful floating above the earth feeling yesterday. I got my big bay boy to canter! For some of you reading this you might be thinking, so what??? I haven't cantered a horse in over 20 years; I have had Gilly for 5 years but we have been going slow with our training and I have fallen off or been rolled on several times so I had some fear issues. For several months I have dreamed of cantering Gilly, his black mane flying up was we rode across the grass his feet barely touching the ground. I could even feel the upward movement as he covered the ground. I got up in the morning determined to canter and I did!!! It was hard work getting him to canter, he isn't big on going forward, his impulsion button needs some grease! But oh, my when he did canter I almost cried with joy. He has a beautiful canter, it feels like riding the carousel horse; BIG up and down suspended movement...........heaven!Did I get any pictures of this ride, sorry no but maybe next time. Oh, how I wanted to ride today but it rained last night and the round pen and arena were too wet. Now I can't wait to do it again. It's like your first taste of chocolate, you crave more!!!
(forgot to mention that my round pen is 53 feet and we did TWO laps at a canter the last time!!!)
Thank you Sir Gilly for the giddy ride!
24 comments:
I'm impressed. I've taken about a half dozen steps at a canter, but that was last summer. I'm having to relearn everything. Senior moment?
You and I are the same age and astrological sign. I will be 57 this Sunday.
Wow Jane...I am so excited for you! There is nothing like the free feeling of a good canter on your horse! And the is nothing like the fear of a good canter on your horse! I have felt both in the past, now days it is usually feeling free, but not always. Circumstances of the canter can vary as then do the feelings I have when doinng it. The safest is usually the round pen followed by arena. I seldom canter in a catained area and end up cantering in all sorts of conditions, some do cause a bit of angst, especially if I am not on Jesse!
Hi Leah! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, senior moments suck don't they? I have them too, ugh! LOL
Hey, Happy Birthday to you! I will be 58 May 17th....yea, Taurus the Bull (are we bull headed too??)
Congratulations on cantering Gilly for the first time! Doesn't it feel so good?
I love cantering, more in an arena, controlled environment! When we go out on trails we just walk and maybe some jogging. I don't wan't my horses thinking they can run on the trail, it can make some horses anticipate it. Plus my Arab is too spooky, knowing my luck a deer would jump out in front of us and I'd end up in the dirt! LOL!
Congratulations! Another milestone and another dream obtained!!
Love the carousel horse :-)
Wonderful Jane!! I just loove that feeling - cantering across a very large field - looove it!! Congrats!!!
I loved the picture of the Carousel horse - I have always wanted to paint one! When I said that to my husband, "That I always wanted to paint one." He said - Paint who, Tom Selleck? K - honestly - I had to think about that - and uhmmmm yeah would.
So exciting, Jane! I wish I could canter my horse more...it's something we need to work on. First, we need a dry, non-slippery arena, which we only have a good 4 months of the year. :( Second, I need to get my horse's hiney in gear and keep mine down in the saddle, as he tends to try to break gait a bit if my hiney comes up (he stops.) I'm not 100% comfortable loping yet even though I haven't had a bad experience, I just haven't been riding again very long and I know it will take a lot of loping to get the hang of it down.
Also, I rode a carousel horse a few years ago, it was as fun as it was as a child! ;)
Isn't it a great feeling? My last horse, the 4th or Prix St. George level dressage, had a fabulous canter, and when you put more leg on him and held him in, he was even more suspended. I really miss the riding. Can't afford lessons and don't have any friends that own horses.
DR, We will do more cantering in the round pen then the arena. then who knows where, I hope it doesn't turn to fear, more practice = more confidence!
PG, I know what you mean about deer, we have a lot of them here. Many have jumped out in front of us, but farther up the trail. So far Gilly just stops and stares.
Gail, thanks!
Pony Girl, Gilly wants to stop too when I am not right in the saddle, but he did good for our first time. I was laughing so hard trying to get him to go, he must have thought if was fun too and cantered on! I haven't been on a carousel since I was a kid, what fun!
Julie, oh, yes the best! You would love Gilly's canter, I have no idea how I got him to do it, now I have to work with my teacher to get it right. Wish you lived close to me you could come and ride Gilly!!! :-)
You did it by using lots of legs and hopefully using one of your heels to que him. I would love to come ride Gilly. Good boy when you are alittle off balance. I had a couple horses like that too. It makes you keep centered. Some of them even move under you, if you know what I mean. I guess that they want to remain balanced. Keep informing us on the progress, cuz I love hearing about it. Cool!! My word verification is 'chuli'---like Julie!!
Living the dream~ Jane!
I now I surprised you when I said we don't canter...we do outside on the trails and roads..or an outdoor arena..she can defuse herself and not think about me..but inside arena's she tends to explode..I have that on tape like 4 times from my last clinic..me hangin' on the grab stap for dear life!
I am soo proud of you..Gilly is so good! I will send you a tape of my roundpen ride with my sissy...we were working on me releasing my inside shoulder...and NOT blocking her..when you get your round pen, you may try it too..it really gives you a sence of muscle memory where your sholders should be for them to move free-er!
Kac
Glad that you posted, I was getting worried cause we hadn't heard from you! I have just started trying to canter with Albert. My bottom is bouncing around pretty good!
Way to go Jane! I have never really cantered on Dusty. He is somewhat lazy, and I haven't tried! Gilly is very handsome! The caroisel is beautiful.
Go Jane Go :)) bet Gilly felt your joy and loved it too xx
Awwww! Yay for you and your boy! What a fun and exciting experience!
I've only cantered once on my mare, out in a field. And only for a few paces. It was exhilarating and a little bit scary, too.
It felt more like she was galloping, as she isn't very collected in her canter.
Maybe one day I'll be able to try it again? Hope so.
I rode a carousel with my 6 yr old daughter last summer. We got to ride over and over. I loved it! :)
~Lisa
YAY for you and Gilly-boy! Your excitement is so contagious!
Julie, before he went into the canter sometimes he would trot really fast and I was posting as fast as I could, laughing the whole time! So I don't know what my legs were doing! LOL
Kacy, Gilly used to crow hop when Sheri would get him to canter but she just rode it out. She can ride and I was afraid to try it because I thought I couldn't ride it. But he didn't do it with me when I got him to canter this time! Yippee! Oh, that would be so scary to have to ride that out, you are so brave!!! Oh, yes, do send me a CD to watch of your work.
cowgirljlynn, ahh, thank you for being concerned about me. Just not feeling well last week and working in the big garden. Cantering is so fun but work on our part to; wonder what the horses think when we are off balance or bounce on their backs? After the laughing fit I had while cantering Gilly wanted to go again; he must have thought it was fun too!
DD, Thanks, Gilly is pretty lazy to but I had to try, you should too, it's way fun!
Elizabeth, yes, I believe he did!
Lisa, Yes, cantering at first is an adrenalin rush, out in the open would have been scary. Gilly and I won't be doing that for a bit but I see it in our future! I must try the carousel ride again too, when the fair comes this fall.
I hope you are feeling better???
Jacque, oh, what a thrill, yay!!!
Sarah, oh, sorry I forgot to comment on your post! Thanks!
Paint Tom Selleck??? I'll be over when you do! LOL
Congrats on your ride!
I'm so glad you had a great ride! How fun! I can feel your exhilaration! :)
I've always love the carousel horses and remember what fun it was to ride them. The ride never lasted long enough.
So happy for you that you and Sir Gilly cantered, what a great feeling you must have had, I can understand why you want to get cantering again, too bad about the rain.
Congratulations! You've really made the grade. Isn't cantering great, especially when the horse moves out and lopes smooth?
I like cantering in open fields better than arenas. In arenas, some of my horses get tense but, out in the field, they can run, relax, and slow down.
My work is dirrun. Kind of what you did. Di Rrun!
Congrats Jane ! I haven't cantered on Indi yet, we are working up to it. I think it is a big deal, and I know you have read about my canter issues ! I feel better reading your comments on this post, that many don't jump in and canter all the time !
You got a mention on Cowgirl Style, thought you might want to check out the post.
Angie, thanks!!!
Donna, thrill of a lifetime!!
Grey Horse Matters, it's still raining here, boo-hoo, if it doesn't rain tomorrow I may ride just a little.
Fantastyk Voyager, I do want to try to canter through an open field, but first want to get a few more in before I do.
Blackfeatherfarm, thanks, cantering or jumping is a big deal, that's a lot of horse moving fast under you and really you don't have much control over! but oh, what a thrill!!!!
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