There aren't any pictures yet. I'm at the mercy of others for photos. I was too busy riding. Gee, I wonder if someone got me in mid air , or captured that amazing perfect-adjustment-for-my-back-landing. Boy it was so nice and flat on my back square, even the subsequent whack of my head on the packed snow which I could have done without frankly, was square.
Ok It was very embarrassing. But I can't really blame Lucy, the big clip that was strapped onto the back of her saddle via the billets had slipped under the edge of the cantle. It must have been a bit uncomfortable. I such at staying on for bucking. I am always in two point because my back is such a mess, I can't take the sudden movements of a young unsure horse who has not established consistent gates.
I really need a saddle like Terry McClare's westerns. Like the one I rode Monty in the day we did the Trail User Encounter Clinic with the dirt bikes. It was like a dressage saddle but with all the safety features of a western. I could learn to sit and move better in that. And it actually had a design that made posting comfortable. I'll find out what it is and let you know. It's my goal for 2009, A saddle like that and learning to sit and KEEP RIDING through the bucks. I usually STOP RIDING, start pulling on the riens, when buckng starts! And then of course I'm usually done. The couple of times I've managed to drive the horse on out of the bucks I have been fine. But I'm an old, scared, out of shape woman. Well, I can't change change my age but the rest can be adjusted!!
Anyhoo,
I was very impressed with Lucy. She stood still when asked ( mostly) and for long periods of time ( Pretty sad huh, when that's your big thrill for the day--whoo hoo my horse stood still when I asked her! )While we waited with the group of horses for our turn at the 800 foot packed snow course she watched the horses before her each get fastened to the big tow rope and gallop off with the skier shooshing around behind.
The horse has the easy job in competitive skijoring, just run like hell for a 800 foot straight shot.
The skier has to navigate through little cones (gates), fly over 3 jumps of varying size and grab two sets of three 5 inch rings dangling from the sidelines.
When it was Spots turn we went along skierless, for the run. Spot of course was good as gold and had no issues with it. And Lucy got used to seeing the skier back there without feeling the towing and the rope on her but.
Then after a couple of runs like that, I tried towing a skier. I was prepared to be happy if she let me tow a rope, never mind a skier. But we did tow a skier, twice! Lucy skittered around a bit at first and we had Spot go down beside us. Lucy wasn't ready to move faster than a jog without getting fearful of the skier. But our second run towing a skier she went without Spot all the way down and back. I was very very happy.
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