Cruz the Lesson Horse

The last few posts have been a little on the heavy side.  So here is a gratuitous video of my last riding lesson :-D

Truth be known, there's another reason for uploading this video besides superfluous bragging about my Cruzzy.  Long story short: life lessons.

I've been in riding lessons off and on for the last few years but mostly on my other guy, Cash.  Cash has dished out his fair share of hard knocks, he is big and powerful and sometimes thinks he's the boss.  He bucked me off a couple of times, he's been known to play the "you can't catch me" game and he eats me out of house and home.  But I've had him for 7 years and I know all his tricks so most of the time its just easier to ride him.  He's the devil I know.

Cruz, on the other hand, was a total unknown for the first 3 years I owned him.  On the ground, he has always been easy to handle BUT being that I am a green rider … and being that Cruz had not been ridden much in the year or two before I had him … and given that he was a 7 year old OTTB with all the typical thoroughbred quirks and goofiness … I was afraid to get on him.  In equestrian circles there is a saying:

Green + green = black & blue  

This was a wreck waiting to happen.  Add to the fact that Cruz had a strong aversion to getting in the trailer, this made it difficult to go anywhere and get help to work through these things.  And so he sat in the pasture just munching grass and looking pretty.

Last summer I came to realize that I had to make a decision: either get on and ride him or sell him to someone who would.  To figure out the answer to that question, I had a more experienced rider give him a 'test drive' and wonder of all wonders, he was a total DREAM for her! A.maz.ing.  So I mustered up some courage, rounded him up into the trailer and off we went to start our own journey of lessons and learning.  Eight months later, this is where we're at.  He has not been without his moments, he challenges me (the leg yields and side passing in the video were not what I was asking for, that's his "go-to" move when he's anxious or wants to get out of doing what he's supposed to!) and many-a doubts and fears have had me question the wisdom of swinging my leg over that saddle.  But over time I have come to realize that he's actually pretty honest and if I just trust him, he won't disappoint. (I should add that I have two really excellent coaches who are enthusiastic cheerleaders and super supportive of all their students!  That makes all the difference!)  And a few riding lesson 'a-ha' moments have carried over into other areas of my life.  Its cheaper than therapy!  Ok, that's a lie … its actually pricey as hell … but worth it for the sheer enjoyment I get after a successful ride.

That brings me back to the video upload.  I hope to upload more pictures and videos with some commentary about the life lessons that my horses have given me.  I like to brag about my guys and show them off … but there is a bigger picture purpose to all of this.  Its not all fun and games.  Ok, that's also a (white) lie, its mostly about the fun and games.

The quality of the video is quite poor, the sound is beyond poor (iPhone 6: I'm lookin' at you!)  The man behind the camera is always gracious enough to sit through all my boring activities with nary a complaint so I can't be too hard on him for the crookedness or the finger on the lens.  Next time I'll get him a chair and a tripod :-)

And now for a few more shameless pictures of my critters :-D ...