08/09/2025
I had an “AHA” moment today while riding Legacy that humbled me real fast.
Let me explain.
The last week or so he’s been wanting to gallop when asking for a lope. This has frustrated me so bad because he was lame the week before so I was trying to take him slow and easy because we had a show the next weekend that would determine how our summer would go.
The last ride before we left for the show he took off on me… 🏃➡️🙄
I let him run it out because stopping him and correcting would only make him want to do it MORE. That ride I had a very frustrated mindset about it. I was NOT having fun at all.
If you all know Legacy, he is the class clown. He needs everyone’s attention always. He’s always getting into things he shouldn’t. And he’s always the first one to make you smile. He’s just a pain in the ass but he’s SOOO good at doing it you can’t help but laugh.
Today- well guess what. The little bastard did it again. I was working on walk to lope transitions and had already loped him both ways for a warm up so I know he wasn’t fresh.
At first I was so frustrated, I set my hands and made him stop. 🛑
It didnt work. He did it again the other direction. This time I said alright fine, let’s go. Let’s run.
Guess what I discovered.?? A SMILE.
I gave him all the reins and he loped as fast as he could go around the whole arena, not charging but relaxed. It felt sooo smooth. I’m very careful with him going fast because of his foot and his hind end stuff that I really don’t let him just have fun going fast. And this horse LOVES to run.
Anyways- he was freaking cool. The best controlled gallop I have ever rode. Instead of letting him go around and around, I did a reining pattern and he nailed the fast to slow circle transitions. Nailed em! Even with a quick lead change in the middle and back to full speed. Reins drooped and everything.
2 points I want to make with this:
-Don’t take everything so serious. ⚠️
You’re working so damn hard to make everything perfect that you’re sucking all the fun out of it. Let loose sometimes. It’s okay to enjoy it at the same time. (Thank you Legacy)
-What theyre doing “wrong” is all perspective. 🧠
Of course there are exceptions, but in this scenario Legacy was showing me that I didn’t need to hold him so tight and quiet. When I let loose and rode basically at the end of my reins, he actually had better prettier formed circles AND his transitions were beautiful. He listened to my legs better than I could’ve asked and I don’t ride him like he’s broke nearly enough.
Go ride your horse and pat them when they do something “wrong”.
Challenge yourself to find a different perspective. ❤️🔥
