Re: Stumbling

[Deanne Del Vecchio <delvecchio@geocities.com>]

> walked, trotted and cantered her over rough trail---nothing dangerous,
> just lots of little erosion ditches, rocks, logs, up hill, down dale, and
> no fair hanging back in Cato's shadow.  I crashed her through every bush I
> could find, but always gave her a "way out" if she would just look for it
> and take it.  Pretty soon she started figuring out she better start paying
> attention.  Now she's a little mountain goat.

I could really relate to Susan's description here. One of our favorite games
is to go cross-country through desert sagebrush and try to "out-guess" which
way is the best path. I may lean left, Gabe may go right. It's a game to see
who will "indicate" the next upcoming turn. This all happens at lightening
speed, as just trotting through sagebrush, let alone loping through it,
demands constant split-second decisions!

It's really fun,and lends itself to a closer communication with your horse.
He may finally understand why leg yeilds are so important!  And, Gabe has
come to trust that MY way around that bush might actually be the wise
choice! (hidden rocks, gaping holes, inconsistency in trail is all better
seen from the saddle~~I admit~~I cheat!)

And, it's kind of like powder skiing in the trees, fluid, smooth, but a
constant challenge!  (and you don't have to worry about plowing into a
tree!)

--
Deanne Del Vecchio & Gabe ~~ But, you didn't tell them we do that in the
forests, too!
Creative Computer Concepts
South Lake Tahoe, CA
delvecchio@geocities.com