His first x-c experience

[Xanthoria]

I took the Baby Bronto to the x-c facility nearby recently, hoping for a nice hack around the perimeter and some trot and canter sets on the gallop track. Instead, found out that "x-c" is an abbreviation for "eXtra Corporeal" and we got:

- Total rigid plant and at the gateway: "WHAT IS THIS FIELD OF MYSTERY DEATH OBJECTS!?! I WILL NOT ENTER!"
- Swerve and bulge passing every jump with a wide berth
- Eyes on stalks at someone walking a dog 300 yards away
- Literally SHAKING in his size 4 shoes at the sight of the water truck 1/4 mile away. Parked. Silently.
- 2 spin and attempt to run away maneuvers that were captured very neatly on the ride map on my Equilabs app. One caused my a rock, the other by a squirrel. Both almost causing me to be thrown in the shrubbery.
- Literally 30 solid minutes circling the water complex, dried to no more than 2" of damp mud. Never did go in.

It was 92 degrees out and after an hour and a quarter I had had enough. I held onto the bucking strap with BOTH hands and made him trot around the 1 mile long gallop track three times. Then we both died.

Where's my posthumous medal, dangit?

[Flight]

[khall]

God WBs are such chickens! You should have seen Rip with cows!!!!

[Tuddy]

Good job! I would have gotten off and cried after the first spook. LOL!

[piedmontfields]

At least you know he's feeling pretty fit! Well ridden and it will go better next time (or else you'll end up with a dressage horse

We have a fab cross country course where I board. We ride around the jumps and track all the time---yet, Em has a meltdown anytime they fill the water complex or change the flowers/decorations for the jumps. She has at least gotten used to the blue snake aka hose to the creek for filling the water complex

[Xanthoria]

WBs are wussy - I am used to the lion-hearted TB mind, so this is making me a bit

I am sure if I go back 2-3 times he will be better. In fact, a year ago I couldn't imagine trail riding him alone, but I do now and he does great.

But is that how it's going to be at every single new adventure? I can't handle the drama!

piedmont, he must be fairly fit - he was only really sweaty under the saddle, altho it was so hot I guess it might have been evaporating as soon as he sweated. And I assumed he'd be a bit pokey the next day, but he wasn't. Well, not any more than usual. He's an energy conservationist...

Well, plan is to get him out on the trailer weekly, so I might end up with a giant, very fit, spooky disaster zone at the end of the year! Or he might chillax and start being a useful riding horse at very long last...

[heddylamar]

I love youngsters. They are just so freaking weird!
Good on you for sticking the tack!

You did remind me — I need to add a strap for our first real trail ride. This walking down the drive is NBD, we've done that in hand. But once we have to venture out on the asphalt in order to get down to the trails? All hell is going to break loose.

[Xanthoria]

I put straps on both saddles and have no shame in hooking fingers thru when his head and heart rate go up! I find many of them are pretty short so keep an eye on that if you're buying.

[heddylamar]

I put straps on both saddles and have no shame in hooking fingers thru when his head and heart rate go up! I find many of them are pretty short so keep an eye on that if you're buying.

No kidding! Hanging on v. hard crash? I'll go for the strap.

I normally just use a neck rope with a sheet bend knot. None of my mares have a very deep chest, so that's well within easy reach.

[Xanthoria]

You know, maybe I'm doing it wrong but I find neck straps make me lean forwards, and that's the last thing I want when the world starts spinning. Perhaps I just have t-rex arms!

[heddylamar]

Lol! I do have freakishly long arms!

[demi]

Lol! I do have freakishly long arms!

Ha! Do you have calluses on your knuckles where they drag on the ground!

[StraightForward]

Well done with the drama! Hopefully you just made his brain mature by six months in one day.