Lucy Makes her Point

A week ago, on Saturday morning, Brett and I rode before going to the Farmers Market and before Brett went to Sacramento to pick up Jen and the grand-kids at the airport.  Lucy was much better at the trot and not resistant at all.  Her stamina was definitely diminished so we took it easy.  She gave me some lovely forward and trot and relaxed walk-trot transitions before the dust became too much for both she and Mufasa.  We don't have sprinklers in the arena to water down the sand so it gets very dusty, very fast.  With the drought and our low water producing well, arena sprinklers are not on the master plan.  Although Brett and I love riding together, it just doesn't work well in the dry summer months.

Sunday morning, while Brett, Jen and the kids were packing for Utah, I rode Lucy.  It was early, before sunup, and a comfortable 60F.  The cool morning air carried over the sound of coyotes yapping down the road while I was grooming Lucy, but she didn't seem bothered.  She was a little bit looky when we first rode into the dressage court so I gave her things to think about while we warmed up -- a little shoulder-in on the long side, circles, and leg yield.  She settled and we moved into trot.  She didn't resist at all and our transitions were pretty smooth.  She barely had the stamina to make it around a 20m circle though, before going back to walk.  The injections must have drained her reserves.  Her trot was so forward, willing and smooth that I decided to ask for canter.  I asked for right lead canter first and she willingly picked it up after a nano-second of hesitation.  She felt comfortable -- no high headed, choppy steps -- so we cantered a dozen strides before coming back to trot and taking a walk break.  We changed direction, picked up the trot, and I asked for left lead canter.  She threw her head in the air and refused.  I asked again, more firmly, and she continued to resist.  I asked a third time, very firmly, and she bucked.  Um, sorry Lucy.  My bad.  She was obviously still sore and not ready to canter.  I should have listened the first time.  Lucy is honest; I should have believed her.  I wasn't fair and fairness is everything when you are riding a mare.