Gladys has thoughts

I threw caution to the wind and worked Gladys without any adult supervision last weekend. Here’s a recap of the events.

I had the day to my self last Saturday so I grabbed Oakie (Gladys’ mom) and Gladys for some work and ride time. Gladys was on good behavior while I saddled her, etc. I like to let them all “soak” for a bit before I get on so I saddled them and let them stand there a bit while I sat and watched them. Actually, I was working up my courage to work with Gladys. I figured I’d work with her first so I could end the day on a good note riding Oakie second. I took Gladys in the pen did one lap leading her around and doing some quick flexes in the bridle from the ground. She was quiet and willing but the side eye she gave me at the beginning also told me there might be some antics in there. I got on and the first few minutes she was great, walking quietly, giving to the bridle nicely. I put her into a trot and she was good again for the first few minutes then she decided she had her own ideas on what was going happen. She boogered around trying her darndest to tell me where she was going. Not turning to the right as I was asking and moving rapidly to the left in some sort of crab walk was her idea of a fun time. I said no to her idea and she answered me back with a nice little hop and buck. I stayed on by a knee and thought to myself “self, wth am are you doing with a two year old when you’re not a colt starter”. Luckily she has a great “whoa” and will stop immediately with a voice command. I went to back to walking nice slow big circles asking gently for some flexion and body control. She settle and did pretty good. Went back to a trot and managed some more decent, if not quite round, big circles. I thought, ok, time to go outside the pen and down the trail. She has been on several trail rides, but not by herself and we prefer to keep them moving in more strait lines than circles when they’re young. So off we go out the gate to the BLM land that surrounds us. Glady’s is also already good at opening and closing gates and loves to push them herself so I don’t have to get off/on to go through. She’s walking out decently and decides that a few hundred feet is enough and says no more and tries to turn around. I say no again to her ideas and she has a nice little two year trantrum of hopping around and saying no with the same huff you’d get from a teenager. I could her saying “Gaaaawd, heavy sigh, you’re ruining my life” like a 12 year old boy or a 11 year old girl. At this point I know I’m out of my element and unsure of exactly how to deal with her. I managed to get her going sideways and then forward back home. I knew not to get back and get off and let her win so we walked by Oakie, who was standing tied quietly like a good horse should. Gladys had her own thoughts again and decides walking past mom isn’t in her plans that day and told me so by again going into her now awesome crab walk. Again I convince her that yes, we will be walking past mom and into the upper arena because you don’t get to stop when you’re acting like a spoiled brat. In the upper arena again she decided that right turns were dumb and it’d be more fun to go left quickly and in an uncontrolled manner. I finally get one nice quiet circle to the right and call it done. I got off and led her back and she acted like such a nice little pony, you’d never think she’d just spent the last 10 minutes acting like a toddler in Target. I ended up with about a 25 minute ride on her and figured I’d better end on a decent note but I was unhappy with myself and not knowing what I needed to do and even though we ended on an ok note, I felt like she won the day since I didn’t get her out on a ride by herself. I was defeated and frustrated as I tied her back up. At this point I texted my husband something to the effect of “Gladys is beyond my skill set today. I need your help with how to handle these baby antics. Someone with more guts and feel than I have for a young one”. There may have been some swear words in there as well. I got on Oakie at this point, leaving Gladys saddled and tied while I rode. Had a great ride on Oakie and after some arena work went on a nice trail ride and let my thoughts wander about how I felt with Gladys.

I get back with Oakie and looked over at Gladys feeling frustrated. I knew for myself and her, I really needed to get back on and accomplish something. She had a nicer look in her eye and was quiet. So while I’m comfortable with my gender, I knew I needed to grow a pair and get back on. I took a deep breath and took her back in the pen. She was quiet and nice while I bridled her and got back on. I took a deep breath forcing myself to relax and just ride easy. Well, she then decided she’s a camel and put a hump in her back that made me like I would somersault right over her head. I knew I couldn’t get off no matter how much I wanted to. I managed to keep her walking in big figure eights and ignoring her head tossing going sideways crap and just keep asking her nicely to walk and do some soft flexions. After about 10 minutes she finally took a deep breath and sighed so I thought, ok, let’s try going outside again. Off we go again opening the gates without getting off and we amble down the trail at a nice relaxed walk. I was thinking I’d be able to grab my phone and take a few pics for proof but after about half a mile she had her own thoughts again and hopped around like a pogo stick. I walked her in some slow circles around sagebrush bushes and got her to quiet down. We were out of sight of home and she settled nicely so I aimed back to home. Well, Gladys really had some thoughts at this point and thought a few bucks would be fun and saying no, we’re not going back. I guess I kept breathing because I’m still alive and I never lost my seat. I will give Gladys credit that’s she’s very smooth to ride even when bucking. We crab walked, hopped around a bit before she finally realized I wasn’t going to give up and we walked back in a pretty relaxed manner. I get home, dismount and at this point I realize how shaky I am but I’m also a little proud of myself for getting back on and getting her down the trail and back without injury to either of us. I left her tied up awhile longer while I put Oakie away making her stand there by herself for a bit and ponder her choices. As I unsaddled her she sighed a great big sigh and put her head to me. I don’t know who took a bigger breath, her or me. I want hubby to work her next just because she needs the right feel to keep her going in the right direction. I took a pic after I got back on to send to hubby because I felt that was a win in itself. Thanks for following along, here’s some pics just because. First pic is the side eye telling me that the day wouldn’t be all fun and games. Second pic is when I got back on her the second time and third pic is after we were done and she’s admiring her own self confidence.