Beating old fears

Well I managed to hatch my plan today, after weeks of planning and putting off...

Yes, today I cantered outside, for the first time since that ill-fated rando I went on last April.

OK, you might say, big deal??? Well to me, it IS a big deal... it is a HOOOOOOOOGE deal... cantering outside is my biggest all time fear on horseback (well apart from getting tanked off with... which goes hand in hand with the whole cantering thing :oP)

I managed not to escape work early, and in fact didn't leave til nearly 6pm, so consequently I was a tad late actually getting to the yard. Pinto was in the top part of the field, and though he didn't actually walk up to me, he didn't walk away either.

When I was actually bringing him through the gate I noticed that the farrier had been and trimmed his feet *tears hair out* I really wanted to be there when Francis trimmed him, at least so I could wash Pintos feet and legs first. I must take a new series of photos on Saturday, but his front feet look much shorter now, which is good... anyway I digress.

Tack was on in record time and mounted with absolutely no probs, probably the quickest I have ever got into the saddle from the block before, and once again we were off.

I followed the same route as outlined in my second post below, but this time encorporated more trotting. First of all on the road. Pinto had walked down the first hill a bit stiff legged, and I was wondering if his feet were a touch tender after the trimming, so I wanted to do a small trot on an even solid surface... but he was fine. A bit taken a back perhaps, because I never ask him to trot outside, so first of all we had a wonderful slow trot, before he slowly sped up and started rushing. When we turned the corned I asked him back down into walk because the surface of the road deteriorates and becomes a lot more stoney.

Then we came to that hill. Funnily enough, looking at it a second time it didn't look half so steep or long as I remembered *rolleyes* So we set off walking, and then I asked Pinto to trot. Then as I screwed my courage right up, I sat and smooched, and all of a sudden we were cantering :oD :oD :oD

After about 10 strides I asked him back to trot, and then back to walk. Oh I was sooooo happy. I "yeehaa'd" in a screech or two I was so happy and relieved.

After that the rest of the hack seemed to fly by, and what seemed like a long hack the first time, was now suddenly over.

Of course Pinto now has more confidence in me, and was trying to trot along every flat bit of ground there was... and sometimes we did trot, sometimes I managed to contain everything and keep it to a walk.

Oh how pleased I was with myself and Pinto once we got back to the yard... I still can't get over the fact that I actually cantered, and even more so that I was by myself.

Now I just have to find other hills suitable for practicing ;o)

...a very happy and buzzed rider

:oD