My name is Kelsey, and I am an aspiring Region 6 Young Rider. My horse is a 12 year old OTTB (Off the Track Thoroughbred) named Montague. Monty and I first came together when I was 12 years old and he was 4, and we have been partners ever since.
Eight o’clock hour
I have to say, riding at eight o’clock at night has a rather soothing quality to it, despite the fact that it was cold and obnoxiously windy. It definitely isn’t a good sign when the wind blows down the ally way and makes your horses’s tail and mane look like they are in a photo shoot with a fan turned on!
Monty was basically asleep before I got on him last night - he’s not exactly used to riding so late at night. A tired horse, however, also made for a very relaxed horse. He was super loose and soft again yesterday, and we had some very nice changes! I did work a bit on getting a super collected, on the spot canter, and he was more than willing to comply in the beginning on my ride. Towards the end though, I could tell he was getting tired (more tired from when we started at least!) and so we finished with some brief trot work and some practice on our free walk.
I have learned with Monty that it is really best to quit while you are ahead. When they start to get tired, it is really counterproductive to keep trying in order to obtain “perfection.” Once Monty is tired, I just call it a day. He always gives 150% to our rides and to always ask for just a little bit more, when I know he isn’t saying ‘no,” but is instead saying “I’m trying, but I can’t,” is simply unfair.
Tip of the day: When you have a quality ride and are receiving quality work, don’t continue to push for more. Praise for what you received, maybe work on something different and call it a day before you go too far. It takes very little time to ruin what you have gained by always asking for more, and tomorrow can bring even better work if you build off a strong foundation.
