Tink’s first off-site adventure
Today I took Tink out for a trail ride away from the farm and in true ‘Tink’ form, she was awesome! This was the first time I’ve loaded her into the trailer and taken her somewhere else to ride, since I got her in January. The experience was a positive one for both of us, which is always my goal when introducing new things. Tink continues to respond well to all that I ask of her and she is still a fun and ‘easy’ project. Throughout the trip, it crossed my mind that an ‘easy’ project is all relative. A lot of planning went into setting the scene for success today and the reality of how it unfolded was within the parameters of what I would call uneventful. So, while I post happy moments and glowing reports, I think it is helpful to consider the reality of what that looks like to me, how I prepare, and the context of what ‘easy’ is in my world.
There are few things we can do to plan ahead and create the optimum environment for an excursion like this to be successful. Here are some of my favorites.
Pick a day where you do not have to rush at either end of the trip. If I am not feeling pressure to be somewhere by a certain time, then I can focus all my energy on staying calm and reassuring for my horse.
Know (or have a good idea about) whether loading your horse will be a challenge or not and be sure to line up some knowledgeable help if this is a factor.
Plan to go somewhere familiar. If you know exactly what to expect when you arrive at your destination, then there will be one less uncertainty in your day. Knowing if the parking is easy, or if there is room to graze your horse or take them for a little walk to acclimate, are all helpful to keeping questions to a minimum.
Ask a trusted friend to go with you. Having someone accompany you, ideally with a horse, can really help your own equine partner grow in confidence. Choose someone you trust and who has a horse who is more seasoned at this kind of outing, when possible. Let them know ahead of time, that you are hoping to have a low key trip with your horse and check that they are comfortable being your support system.
Think about what kind of equipment you should use. Do you think you might need a breast plate to prevent your saddle sliding too much if there are hills? Will you need a stronger bit? If so, have you already tried it on your horse before now? Are the bugs bad at this time of year? Is it worth wearing a protective vest? Where are you going to put your phone?!?!
Remain calm and don’t expect perfection right away. You horse may well be nervous and elevated in energy so you will need to reassure and provide the kind leadership they know from your time together at home.
Keep the trip low-key. Where I might hop on my older TB and spend a bunch of time trotting and cantering on the trails, I will only be asking for enjoyment and relaxation with a youngster or first timer. If it is going well, then certainly try going a little faster for short spells, but only if you are in control and your horse is listening.
Last week, I reached out to my amazing friend Mylene and we planned a day where we could both take time away from our other responsibilities. We crossed our fingers and hoped for great weather and as luck would have it, today was gorgeous. Growing up in the UK, I actually love riding in the rain, but it wouldn’t have provided optimum conditions for a first trip for Tink. We agreed to meet at our usual spot, so I knew exactly how much time to leave for the drive. I also knew that we would be highly unlikely to meet other horses or hikers at this location.
Tink walked onto the trailer happily and off we went. Knowing that most of her previous travel experiences will have resulted in a race meet, I anticipated that my sweet, sensible girl might have a level of anxiety that I haven’t seen yet. Hearing her calling throughout the 25-minute drive, I was not surprised to find her sweating and unsettled upon arrival. I tacked her up inside the trailer, where I knew she was contained and unable to slip away from me before her tack was secured. When I walked Tink off the trailer, I let her take a good look around.
Mylene was there with her incredibly dependable Max. There are many reasons that Mylene is my person for this kind of thing. Above all else, she is one of the most wonderful people I know (She’s also an incredible Realtor with Howard Hanna, so if you’re ever in need of someone to help buy or sell your home, give her a call - you won’t be sorry). Mylene has been my support on ‘outside the arena’ rides for many of my projects and she knows me well. I trust her completely and we are comfortable communicating about what we need from one another in high tension situations. We always have fun catching up. Chatting with your friend is a great way to lower the tension in the horses and normalize the outing. Mylene understands why it’s helpful to have only 2 horses in the group as it minimizes the chance of them feeding off each other’s energy and having added herd dynamics. So, if you don’t have one, find yourself a person!
The very best support team!
After a few circles around the mounting block, Tink stood still for me to climb aboard. At home we don’t usually have any dancing at this stage, but this is where it’s important to be realistic about our expectations when out in the world for the first time (or five, or more). The priority was remaining calm and trying to instill confidence at every stage. So, rather than nitpicking about her impatience, I talked to her gently and was able to mount without any fireworks. As we moved away from the trailers, it felt like I was sitting on a spring that was about to explode, but Tink was willing to lead the way. It was at this point in the exercise that it struck me that the reality of Tink’s tension and my glowing reports of her progress are a good topic to discuss. The reality was that she had a hard time walking instead of jigging. I needed a firm and constant contact on the reins, with a forgiving hand. I had a secure leg wrapped around her and every so often needed to halt or walk a small circle to keep her speed in line with Max’s. Whenever possible, I relaxed the feel I had on the reins but always held contact. For me, this was completely predictable for a young horse in such a new environment. I was also happy to see that although she had a lot of anxiety, she held it together. For some people, that level of energy and tension would be hard to sit on, without feeling worried that things could escalate - which makes sense if you’ve not ridden horses in this state much before! I have been lucky enough to have been in this situation many times, I’m comfortable on a tense horse and am able to encourage relaxation by giving them reassurance. This is not a brag, it’s simply another reality. It takes a lot of practice to stay chill, while sitting on a fire breathing dragon and you are not a lesser person if you find it unnerving.
As our ride progressed, Tink slowly settled down. She was not fazed by rustling leaves, small animals darting about or by stepping over logs. She enjoyed watching the large red-tailed hawk swoop in front of us and land in a tree. She was uncertain about the steep downhill portion, but figured it out after following Max. And she let me know that puddles are really new and unknown. This was not the day to address puddle fear, so after taking a sniff, we skirted around and will readdress water when we’ve gained more confidence overall. I was thrilled by how well she did today. There were no leaps, bucks, spins, rears, bolts or falls. We walked most of the ride but trotted a couple of times and even had two short, relaxed canters. As we returned to the trailers on a much looser rein than we left, I was grinning and feeling so very proud of Tink’s first trip out. Was it perfect by perfect standards? Absolutely not. Was it an incredible experience for her, when measured within reasonable expectations? Yes! Completely, utterly, perfectly, YES!
