A Humbling Ride

Today was supposed to be my hack day on Gambler... yeah, that didn't happen. Because all of the horses were around the gate, I took him down to the ring to get on, with the plans of my mom just opening the lower gate to let us into the main field. On the way down to the ring, Gambler was prancing and snorting, and just being a dork. He can sometimes get goofy on the ground, but usually straightens up once I'm on him. Not today. He was super looky, jumping at every noise (gates slamming, people talking/laughing up at the barn, my mom moving her chair, EVERYTHING), ears forward, not listening to me at all.

What is going straight, you ask? What do you mean, you don't want me to drop my shoulder? What is a non-speedy trot? Canter? Hah!

That was our ride. Trotting around at 100000000 mph, head high in the air. Being sassy at the canter and popping his shoulder like nobody's business. Going straight takes way too much effort. It's in fact easier to race around the ring than settle into a nice working trot.

My goodness. It was awful. Where did my well mannered pony go? The one who has been perfect for the past two months?! Seriously, I got so frustrated. Thoughts of, OH MY GOD AND WE HAVE A SHOW IN A MONTH?! ran through my head the entire ride.

I literally got three strides of straightness and called it a day, because I was getting frustrated, and he was just acting so dumb.

On the bright side, it was 55 degrees today.

On the not-so-bright-side, we're supposed to get three inches of snow tomorrow. So that should be fun?

I might try to hack out next ride, but this week may be pony boot camp if this ridiculousness continues. I swear, I need a lesson every day with my trainer. Wednesday needs to hurry up so she can point out the thousand things I'm doing wrong that caused today's trainwreck of a ride.

Tomorrow is a new day, tomorrow is a new day. TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY.

That's what I'm telling myself so I don't cry with frustration and the emotion that is "holy $h^t we have a show in a month and I am going to be thrown off and killed at the rate we're going".