[Solace]

After 3 months and many different issues with Titus I finally feel like he and I understand each other and I’m slowly beginning to trust him entirely (he’s a spooky horse). We had a break through yesterday, well maybe not so much ‘We’ as Me. The entire time I’ve owned Titus I’ve only really ridden him at a walk or a lope, I can’t explain why really….it was a weird mental road block (sometimes I feel my horse has so much potential and I’m just holding him back…) I would jump up on any else’s horse and put them through all three gaits, but the thought of riding Titus at a trot just wasn’t something I wanted to do (maybe it's because his trot is SO fast and uncomfortable).

Anyway, so after much ribbing and many people telling me that I have nothing to worry about…that I am indeed a good enough rider for my own horse (I’m my own worst critic when it comes to riding.) I gave myself a nice long mental pep talk on the way out to the barn yesterday, I told myself that I was going to ride Titus around the looped driveway for five minutes at a walk to warm him up and then it was out into the hayfield to do trot work…and only trot work. So the five minutes seemed to go by WAY faster then I would have liked and I tried to tell myself that we were going to skip trotting and go straight to loping around the field (Yes weird mental block on trotting, loping him around doesn’t bother me…I fully understand that I’m very odd.)

So again the little voice in my head began yelling at me that I was doing Titus a disservice if I skipped straight over trot work and went straight too loping him, that he’d just turn into a nutty Barrel horse, he has the mentally to get hotheaded…plus my trainer friend would chew me out if I began loping him on the pattern this summer. I told myself that we’re going to do a good solid year of trot work on the pattern before we ever think about loping it, I know he has the ability to go out and run a great pattern right now….but he also has the sort of personality that would become one of those hot head barrel horses if I rushed him through his training, I’m not in a hurry to have a finished barrel horse

So out into the hayfield I went, took a couple deep breaths and cued him into a trot. Felt myself get stiff and again little voice told me to breath and relax….two circuits around the hayfield later and I was breathing normally and relaxed, we did the barrel pattern (with invisible barrels…. I do not have the real barrels yet, Titus thought I was nuts….I thought it would at least be a great exercise for him) did figure eights, got him to slow down into a nice western pleasure jog (though I still have to post, because slowing him down and sitting deep on him means ‘STOP’ to him…gotta love his amazing brakes.)

Sorry this is SO long, but I was all grins and so thrilled I finally got over that hurdle with him….I’m seriously NOT afraid of trotting, Which I think is why both my friends and trainer were giving me a hard time about not trotting Titus, because they knew I’m not fearful of trotting… my friend who boards Titus at her place was actually the most forceful of anyone, she basically told me that I was being silly and needed to get up on my horse and act like the rider that I am and not a five year old (yes kind of harsh, but I know it came from her wanting me to get over this hurdle…she wasn’t being mean really.) So I’m thankful to the people who continued to push me (some softer then others) and convince me that Titus was just another horse and wouldn’t turn into a crazy monster at the trot…

So now I’m gearing up for another day of trot work with him, my legs are going to hate me tomorrow….but I feel so accomplished for getting over this odd fear of trotting my own horse

[HoneyTheQH]

Good for you that's awesome!!

And I applaud you for taking it slow with his training, that's how the GOOD barrel horses get made

[horseyfrk145]

Yay! I'm glad that you were able to overcome your fear!!

[Solace]

Originally Posted by HoneyTheQH

I applaud you for taking it slow with his training, that's how the GOOD barrel horses get made

Thank you, I have an awesome mentor in my trainer, who would indeed ground me from my own horse if I even thought of rushing his training...which sometimes is tempting because he is SO super smart and picks up on things quickly. But I want a good sound minded barrel horse, not a hot head

[Haas Horse Farm]

Awesome... this is a great read. Congratulations.

[BuddyPalAmiga]

Yay! Good for you

[Sheza_Angel]

I am so happy that you have overcame your fear! Go you!

I have gone through a similar process with my mare. As far as it goes for building a relationship and leaping over hurdles together.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Haas Horse Farm

Awesome... this is a great read. Congratulations.

Thanks I'm not much of a writer, If I were this account would be far funnier then it is... I wish I would have had someone to document the whole thing with pictures....but alas riding in the afternoon means I'm basically alone on the farm.

Originally Posted by BuddyPalAmiga

Yay! Good for you

Thanks everyones encouraging words has been very nice.

Originally Posted by Sheza_Angel

I am so happy that you have overcame your fear! Go you!

I have gone through a similar process with my mare. As far as it goes for building a relationship and leaping over hurdles together.

Building a relationship with a horse is long process, and each horse seems to take its own amount of time to bond with you. He is def. a character, poor guy has been on the farm by himself for the weekend (everyone else went trail riding/camping) so when I show up comes galloping up to the gate whinnying like crazy....that makes my heart swell because he's at least showing interest in being with me

After getting over this trotting thing everything else seems to click so much better, he's more responsive it seems now (probably because I'm fully confident up on him now) I just want to really thank everyone for the encouragement that I've received in this thread