Friday 17 November 2017

Night Rider

While I appreciate having a safe and clean place to board, it's pretty rustic. I'm good with sacrificing rider amenities if the pony is happy, which she is, but it does create some challenges. This time of year is the hardest. It's dark by the time I'm done work, and more often than not it's raining too.  Midge's paddock and shelter area doesn't have any lighting, and the barn is not set up to groom or tack up inside. So, once I catch Midge, I need to bring her out front of the barn where there's a couple of motion sensor lights, and tack up there. It's not too bad, but it admittedly stinks when it's dark and pouring rain!
Not so bad tacking up here in the daylight


Modest shelter on the back of the barn, but clean and dry and comes with a giant paddock of her own. No lights, though!

Next, we head out for a 10min ride down a very dark rural road. Our reflective gear is working great, and I've added a headlamp now too. So far the drivers have been super respectful of us. I always make sure to thank them for slowing down to pass. Midge is obviously a star, because the road passes some farmland, then a small scrap metal place and car repair place, then through a forested park and farmers market venue, and finally to our riding club grounds - it's not really a peaceful country hack on the best of days. The other night it was super windy and rainy and stuff at the metal place was blowing over and crashing down in the dark, poor Midge, but she still walked past like a trooper.

Headlamp is actually pretty bright!

And, most shockingly of all, once we arrive at the indoor, she's been nothing but fantastic! She's quite up and spooky of late, but she'll happily channel the energy, and she actually wants to get out and work right now. Is this my pony? If so, perhaps the indoor really is magical?


We've been making great progress in our counter canter departs. I no longer need to exaggerate my aids when asking, and she's not getting flustered any more. She totally understands what I'm asking now and will happily pick up either lead from walk. She's not balanced enough to counter canter reliably around the short side of the indoor, but we can work up to that outside with bigger loops and sweeping turns. I've also made progress with simple changes through walk and trot, changing as close to the centerline as possible on either a serpentine or figure eight pattern. Finally, wow do I have a lot of trot right now! The big cob trot is back and I'm loving it. Going back and reestablishing forward on a longer contact has worked wonders. I'm starting to play again a bit with containing and collecting it, just a few strides at a time, and she seems to "get it" and is game to try...the whole slowing down and sucking back thing seems to have gone away and she's pushing and keeping a steady tempo all on her own.
G must have taken these, because I found one the blurry riding pic from the paragraph above, plus about 20 various photos of Midge's nose, like this one,  on my phone just now. Love that he tries :)
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10 comments

  1. i love that you are so dedicated to riding. Cause dark and rain. um no. Can you get some portable battery lights or Solar (If the sun comes out at all in winter there) to put up by her barn? Just to be used as needed? Love that she is being SUCH a good girl! Please be very careful out there, people are idiots, but i am glad everyone is being so good with you guys riding....Have fun. AND SPRING IS COMING so the days will start getting longer in about a month or so LOL! HA

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    1. We're probably just here temporarily (until xmas), so that makes it easier to cope mentally. Love the solar idea...I'm such a dummy, youve reminded me that somewhere in our basement I already have lights and a charger from a similar situation years ago. Re: the road, there's anywhere from a 5 -20' grassy shoulder alongside mist of the way, so while I still hate being out there, I feel a lot safer than if I had to share the lane with cars. I want to get a pic of our reflectiveness, I think it's impressive :)

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  2. Wow! Whatever is helping Midge does sound magical! :) And you are a badass for riding in those conditions (and through them) to get to magical indoor!

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    1. Project Gingersnap - now crossing the boundaries between badass and dedicated and stupid on a regular basis, lol

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  3. I love this so much and have to admit that I’m jealous that you have such a solid trail Pony. That’s definitely in my goals for next year.

    Also, still trying to figure out why my phone keeps capitalizing Pony and Horse lol

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    1. Years of practice! I've been lucky (or unlucky) that for most of my riding life I've boarded at a cheaper place and needed to hack to arenas and events - honestly, it's just repetition, Ginger is "a fruit loop" in my coach's words, lol, and she's safe to take out in the same conditions too if it's part of the routine. You'll get there too!

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  4. Wow! You are dedicated and Midge is a unicorn. :)

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  5. I would echo the solar idea. It will help for while you are there! Midge is awesome.

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  6. This is great that you can do that! Riding in the dark is definitely fun and I'm glad you've been having good luck with drivers on the road. I'm dying to go out for a night ride on the trails but I haven't pulled the trigger with a headlamp yet. Glad to read people have good luck with them though! Sometimes the moon just isn't bright enough!

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  7. I used to have to ride Carlos down the hill and across the property in the dark in order to get my ride in. It was tough but oh so worth all the extra rides and practice you get!@

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