15/7/12- Held to Ransom (Or Should That Be Held Onto)?

I got the the yard in the sunshine and in good time this morning, yet pretty much the last two people to arrive cut the queue and went into the office first. They were there for a trek, and the YO's daughter gave the girl Frankie to ride. I'd heard them talking about Hugo being in, so I was excited: my plan was to ride Hugo or Frankie, as I'd totally fallen for Hugo last week when my sister bailed out of the trek after her lesson, giving him to me for an hour instead. I asked for Hugo to be told no, he was booked for a lesson; I was gutted! I then asked for Robbie – a lovely big dark bay horse that looked like a lot of fun on my last hack. I got another no – he was booked for the trek. I then asked for Ransom: it's been something I've thought of doing for a while, as not only is he a big horse with a big stride (he's the biggest horse on the yard actually, at about 19hh), I wanted to make sure my crappy riding in the lesson with him was just me having a bad day. While I'd wanted to try Starsky, I assumed he wouldn't be in as he's more of a Common Ride horse, so I just manned up, asked for Ransom, and lo and behold, he was in!

I had a long wait for Ransom, so much so one of the instructors apologised and told me she'd get him out herself as one of the teenage helpers had clearly failed when asked. I also heard her say that one of the instructors had left, which is partly why it was so mad. I hadn't seen M that morning and knew immediately it was her, the night after I'd told P I was leaving her to go to the city yard and become a regular student of M :( I pushed it out of my mind though, and out came Ransom ooking like a total fit-stick, and I quickly got on. One of the weekend girls sorted the girth with my help (he's so tall it's almost impossible to tighten his girth from the ground, so I did all the lifting and pulled, while she pushed the buckles in) and my stirrups were adjusted to a comfortable and even length. I saw Starksy come up and a beginner get on him for the trek: I was gutted. If I thought he'd been available, I would have snapped him up!

Anyhow, after a bit of a wait, our ride leader came over – one of the older women on the yard, who given that my RI's gone, I will now call M. I saw her get on Hugo: gutted! I also saw my ride leader when I was on Hutch, A., get on Robbie. Turns out I'd made two rather popular choices, so much so the leaders love them! Anyway, another little wave of jealousy aside, off I followed the other riders. There were 9 of us at first, and I thought that was too many to keep control of. I also saw the woman on front of me not even able to trot very well: I'd no idea how she'd manage the bouncy Stella on a hack. We took a new route to the river, so had a trot before crossing: Ransom felt deeply uncomfortable to ride and I wondered if I'd chosen the right horse.  Approaching the river, two riders were taken away by yard-hands, and I was pleased: 7 seemed more managable, and I genuinely thought the lady in front of me would have struggled on a hack.

Ransom ended up last in the queue, and while all the other horses went into the river without a fuss, Ransom spun for home. I was ready for him so not unsettled by it: I showed him who was boss, turned him back to the water and made clear that saying no was not an option. He got in and crossed without issue: he'd tested me out, and he'd failed to put me off.

Once across the river, the first familiar trot came up, and being on the tallest horse on the yard (almost a hand taller than even Hutch), I was really amongst the trees, rather than amidst the branches. I hit two in a row so hard I was almost off: they'd brought me up out of the saddle, and hit my neck so hard, I genuinely wondered if I'd severed some rather important blood vessels. Luckily a quick pat proved I wasn't pouring with blood: just scraped with a few blobs of blood, but I did have a total “Oh shit, I've totally chosen the wrong horse” moment. Uncomfortable in trot, amongst trees very difficult to avoid even lent forward, and  Ransom having been a bit of a knobber already: I wasn't convinced I was going to have a good time at this point.

The next trot was on a road, and it felt beautifully comfortable: I thought at first the even ground was to thank for that, but then I realised what it was - with spring hock in one of his hind legs, I was now trotting on the other diagonal and it was night and day in terms of smoothness and comfort! I also realised one of the reasons why I was so untidy even in trot on him during me lesson: there was no way to avoid his 'bad' diagonal, as obviously I had to work as much on that as his comfortable one. That soothed me a bit, both about my riding in that lesson and for the hack we'd barely started. The branches were much easier to dodge on the road too, so I never had the uncomfortable feeling of being hung on a tree again.

We approached the first canter stretch, the uphill canter, and I felt a bit unsure: I'd ridden and sat Ransom's canter before without trouble (as unattractive as it may have been that day), but the mare Gandhi in front of us was in a bitch of a mood, and struck out at him at every opportunity. The older lady riding him tried to let me past, but Gandhi just moved to block the whole path and to keep Ransom in her kick-zone at all times.  I was not looking forward to Ransom inevitably running up Gandhi's arsehole during this canter, and especially didn't want any bucking on such a gradient. I decided to get out of my stirrups and canter in the light seat, and Ransom leapt from walk to canter. Like Hutch, the first uphill stride and the saddle smacked me up the jacksy, so I had to get higher out to accommodate his big movement. As anticipated, he ran up Gandhi's arse and with my hands so far forward jockey style, I hadn't the rein length to hold him back. When I straightened up to try and do it, I felt horridly unbalanced so gave up; I was pleased when we stopped cantering and Gandhi danced sideways, keeping her back-end away from Ransom.

The next canter stretch was flat, but has the giant puddle which must be dodged. That dodge was not comfortable on Ransom: he motorbiked a bit, which left me feel horridly insecure. He was also being bothered by branches, and would suddenly dip his head, or suddenly put his ears in my mouth and neck in my face: it was so unsettling that I didn't feel especially secure in the saddle. I'd also been struggling with my right stirrup from trot one: despite it feeling even, I struggled to stretch into it and maintain my foot as sturdily in it; I think it must have been out by the tiniest amount. Anyway, Ransom was trying to race past the ponies in front (and I hate it when riders cut up others), and was bobbing about like an eejit, and with my right foot too far through the stirrup, I was feeling deeply uneasy. I was glad that M cut this stretch a bit shorter than what A. or L. do when they lead the rides: a feeling I felt sad about having, because the canter stretches really are such a thrill, and usually the highlights of the hack.

We finally got to some land more than two horses wide, and the woman on Gandhi kindly let me past: the coloured pony now in front of me (who was new to me and who's name I've forgotten) wasn't kicking and didn't mind Ransom following. I felt better about the next canter because of it, and as the path was so narrow that attempts at over-taking would be impossible.  So off we went into canter, Ransom leaping into action again. I stood out of my stirrups again for this one, and twice there were sudden stops: honest to goodness, I have never been so glad for a horse to put his neck up. I'm sure if it wasn't there, I would have been out the front foor! Whatever it was that had stopped us suddenly disappeared, so we cantered a bit more, and because it was too narrow for Ransom to try and pass, it was much more civilised for it. However, at the end of the canter we went to walk and turned right down a hill, I shouted to M that we were down a rider – the older lady and Gandhi weren't to be seen behind me. We waited and shouted, and nothing for more than a minute: not a good sign. I moved Ransom to let the lead horse out, but M wasn't happy with that either, and asked me to return to the ride. I said I was just letting her out as there'd been a lot of kicking, and I'd turn around right away.  Gandhi then came into sight, being walked on the floor by her owner. It turns out that Gandhi had suddenly stopped, and while we'd all stayed on our horses, this lady was out the front door. She was physically fine though, got back on, and with the next canter stretch only a minute's walk away, we all proceeded to canter at it.

This canter stretch I was determined Ransom was not to be such an eejit: he would be going at less than break-neck speed, and he would not be trying to overtake. I really shortened my reins and started in the light seat: it worked. He calmed down a bit and followed rather than tried to pass. I found having that extra control of the contact was harder in a light seat though, so quickly sat down for this canter: this was immediately more pleasant, especially as we were on a wide path where tree-dodging was no longer a concern (something that's easier down while out of the saddle and learning forward and low). While Ransom's is so big and powerful that my bottom was pushed out of the saddle during lots of the strides (think of professional showjumpers doing 'rising canter' in the  ring because of their horse's impulsion and/or pulling), the whole thing felt uphill, controlled and enjoyable: it was the first time I wasn't thinking “Please let this stretch be over soon: I'm feeling a bit insecure up here with all this bobbing, ducking, dodging and foot-slipping”. I finally enjoyed a canter fully and without feeling insecure!

Having conquered what was bothering me about canter, I was determined that this wouldn't be a hack that I'd walk away from feeling disappointed because I'd held back and been a bit under-confident in canter. I remembered what M had taught me: that quality movement is all about rhythm and maintaining it; that Ransom is a very sensitive ride especially in terms of contact, and will work in an outline if asked correctly; that my reins must be exactly even at all times and my palms always facing one another; and finally, that my leg must always be under me. 

I often slip my reins out hacking: it's necessary really given how quickly the terrain changes and the horse quickly needs more rein to really use their neck for balance. Gathering back up, Ransom often gave me flexion to the left: I would then immediately check my reins, and lo and behold, my default gather up seems to lead me to have my left rein 1cm or so shorter than my right. So, I quickly realised after every alteration of rein length and contact I had to make sure they were dead even: even a slight misalignment wouldn't do. The rhythm we had down-pat: once I worked out that his left diagonal was comfier, I held him at a safe distance from the pony in front, we'd find a lovely speed and consistent rhythm in each pace. In the down-transitions, he'd also come onto the bit, so when he naturally did that I worked him on an outline, feeling the power over his back as he rounded, feeling the energy of the paces with him reaching under himself, and really enjoying having such a big horse between my leg and hand. I never did this for too long, and always let him stretch afterwards though: the only time I deliberately put him in an outline was going through a town both to show myself that I could and to show off for an audience if I'm honest. While doing this, an old couple who stopped cycling to let us past commented on how beautiful a horse he was and how elegantly he held himself. I was dead chuffed! I was also pleased that I worked him that way both in walk and trot, as on the leg-dead RS ponies maintaining that shape when transitioning up I find very hard work.

With regard to my lower leg, I had expected that it would be forwards a bit for security, but I found myself pleasantly surprised that it stayed under me through out the paces. There was one bit of trot on ground that mildly undulated and I felt my leg drift a bit, but given parts were a bit downhill I wasn't at all disheartened. Long story short, all the problems I had in my lesson on Ransom I seemed to have a hold of. I also truly appreciated that M had not said Ransom was a difficult horse to ride to make me feel better: she meant it, because he genuinely is a complex and sensitive horse with awkward, uneven movement because of his spring hock. All in all, I felt I'd put my rubbish riding on Ransom to bed, and that I was as capable on him as I thought I should have been from day one.

After some walk and trot roadwork, we came across the Glen: an official forest park. We got near the big fallen log that Gandhi had crapped herself at when  I was on Hutch, only this time a tree beside it had fallen completely blocking the route; the leader was surprised that they hadn't closed the park gates because of it. We then turned back on the road and went partly down a route I'd never been on before, passing the trek led by A. on Robbie. That lot were trotting uphill while our hack was walking downhill. Poor Ransom was torn: he was jogging and wanting to join the trek because it was currently going faster, but gave in as soon as I asked. As he'd become so lively, I decided to make use of his energy and we did some leg yielding and some travers on that road. Ransom was switched on, was on the bit and did a beautiful job: he wasn't a pony who'd switched off, was ignoring its rider and was just following the horses in front – he stayed attentive to me the whole time.

I wondered if we were going to miss the long, fast canter stretch through the stone tunnels as it's on the other side of the Glen – usually the most exhilarating bit of the ride. To be honest, I wasn't wholly disappointed: while I'd got a hang of Ransom's break-neck tendencies, he was still much more work and harder to sit to than the horses I normally ride so I wasn't excited about upping the speed. I was however, wrong: while we'd went a long way round in walk, we soon saw the familiar sight of the tunnels. The leader called canter, we all shouted “Bike!” and we stopped for a cyclist before we'd even began. Ransom was doing mini-rears: essentially his walk-to-canter leap, but in halt and without going forwards, so he only went up. I told him firmly “WAIT!” and it echoed so loudly in the tunnel, the whole ride turned around and looked at me! The woman on Gandhi was nervous after her fall, and I said I wasn't looking forward to this much either, and expected Ransom to be a raging tit and go off like a racehorse. I shouted that I'd be taking this one a bit slower, so don't worry if they stop and seem one horse short as it would be deliberate. I'm not sure they heard me at the front as they never spoke or looked around, but the lady on Gandhi said she'd go in front of me.  To be honest, the tiniest part in the back of my head said “WALK IT!” That would be no fun though, and I knew it. Trot wasn't an option: I knew Ransom wouldn't do anything but canter. So, I told that little voice to shut up because it wasn't wanted, and knew that collecting Ransom could be fun if he listened: while he is very responsive to contact, he also had his own opinions on speed and where to make transitions so I wasn't sure who'd win.

Having held a prancing, dancing Ransom in halt to give some space behind Gandhi's dangerous backside, as soon as I relinquished pressure, Ransom leapt from halt to canter!  He was going like the proverbial off a stick, but because I was sitting to the canter and had my contact prepared, I used my seat and hands to collect him and slow him; lo and behold, Ransom listened rather than leaning on me and ignoring me. The horses in front got further away and then disappeared from sight, but Ransom did not rush or gallop to catch up: he stayed in the collected canter I was asking for, albeit that I had to half-halt so often my hands felt like they were pulsing. With such a big stride but so much power the canter felt unbelievably slow, uphill, controlled and collected. With 19 hands and miles of leg to play with though, we were still covering the ground. We felt so slow and so steady that it felt like time itself had slowed down: that Ransom and I were living in a movie moment in slow motion. I have never felt anything like it: it was one of the most exhilarating and beautiful things I have ever felt on horseback.  It also felt like we'd come full circle on this hack: from fretting I'd chosen the wrong horse and wouldn't be relaxed enough to enjoy the canter work, I'd successfully worked on the things M had discussed, done some lateral work and had one of the most spine-tingingly beautiful canters I'd ever experienced. On approaching the rest of the ride, the leader asked if there was a problem: I said absolutely not: I'd just chosen to collect the canter and had an absolute ball in the process!

The rest of the ride was walk and trot work: because of the change of route, we'd lost the final canter stretch after the fast one. The ride was also a bit shorter, and would have been less than 2hrs if we'd moved out of walk too. I tried riding Ransom on the buckle so he could really stretch his neck (seriously: there was more than 1m of it in front of me), but he titted around a bit, dancing and looking to overtake even in walk. I took my contact  back up and gave him a second chance on a single-file bit of forest: through the trees was a field though, and a horse galloping up towards the fence to say hi affected no one but Ransom - he spooked, danced and generally titted around again. I gave up at that point, and while I refused to ride him home on the buckle, I did really relax the contact using my elbows rather than over-lengthening the reins. Ransom seemed glad of it: having worked in an outline out of his own volition for so much of the ride, he was happy to bumble long and low. I also admired his neck: he has so much topline that he actually looks like he has a stallion's crest! I did a lot of patting and fussing on the walk home: while he'd been racey and keen, he hadn't actually be bad: for all the joking I've made about him titting around like a knobber, he wasn't actually being what I'd describe as bad, just keen and on his toes. In fact, I can see Ransom being fabulous out on the Common Rides: he's got the handsome looks, wonderful build, show-off self-carriage and love of galloping despite lack of a  nasal passageway/windpipe on one side! Some of others commented on his blowing after work, especially following the uphill canter, but he is keen to run and is very fit: he just makes more noise processing so much air through one nostril! I often think he's lucky to be in the RS: lots of owners would give up on a big TB with a breathing compromise and spring hock combined!

So, to cut the rest of the long story short, I had a fab hack after a hairy start and got lovely cuddles with Ransom before he was quickly whipped away. I picked my stuff up from the office and asked the YO's daughter if M had left: she confirmed that she had moved back to Essex, and when I asked about private flatwork lessons, was told they were limited in number and length for the foreseeable future with only one official instructor. They are on the look out though, and hope to increase availability again as soon as they can. I felt deflated hearing that: only the night before I had told P I was leaving, and now I've lost my wonderful new instructor :( On the upside, I said this summer was my last with P, so I'm covered if I ride there for a fortnight more or two months more. There's always the option of mostly hacking with occasional lessons if I don't enjoy the change of instructor. Either way, I'm sure things will work out somehow. I'm now just looking for the next excuse to go hacking again, and seriously considering forgoing even the gent Hugo and taking my beloved Turbo Cob for a blast no matter how mischievous mood I'm in next time!

Here's a reminder of just how tall he is: looks at those legs going on forever! Only cos I'm so chubby at the moment do I not look like a pea on a drum with him at only 5ft 5.5!