knucklehead move number four

i think it's four. i lose track.

but nicole showed me how to bridle a horse, once. explained it all. and on tuesday, she shows up late, she's very liberal with her time, shall we say. and says,

bridle the horse.

and walks out.

which is the good and bad thing about learning from her.

i like to learn that way. do it yourself, i trust you.

but at the same time, i had to remember what i only saw done once. suddenly, i'm holding a cat of nine tails with ten zillion straps of leather and i'm trying not to torture this poor beast, velvet, by name.

so the horse knows i don't know what i'm doing. my girl and i think she sees me as one of the annoying kids from riding camp. and just tolerates me because i bring my girl who actually knows what she's doing. (they have quite good rapport going on)

velvet yawns several times in my face (i'm standing there trying to remember which direction to hold the leather strappy thing--bridle, yes daughter--she insists i call things by their proper name).

hurry mom, now!

but i can't seem to figure it out fast enough, and then when i'm ready, the horse clamps her jaws shut.

figures. so i try again, and twice i got it in, but she would yawn and i'd get it right out.

my girl is laughing and i'm acting like an idiot with this thing. not only is it the first time i'm doing it, alone, essentially, unless you call a laughing tween help (not!), i knew the guy who is helping run the stables wanted to blow out the aisles and i had to get out of there, talk about pressure. so i'm trying to rush, and my brain doesn't work well with the logistics of things and animal in fast pace. (remember the gate, which i'm happy to report, i can now close with horse still on lead).

so i get the bit in her mouth and something up over her ears, and my girl says,

not that way!

apparently, i had flipped the nose thing above the ear thing and had it all twisted.

i don't know how it got so complicated, but it had. so, we took it off and velvet starts yawning again (tease!).

so, i get it figured out but it required a great deal of thumbs which weren't an asset, because she had to keep her eyes shut, and i was fumbling all around and she was standing there saying,

beginner.

(i know she was)


finally the spit covered bridle is on properly, but i forgot to untuck her bangs--er, forelock, yes daughter, they look like bangs to me--

and i wander off to the supply closet--er, tack room--to put something away or just to shake off a bit of my newbieness.

my girl leads velvet to the outdoor arena, and i get to take bandit out for some fresh grass (to distract him from his being alone), apprently, the big guy doesn't like to be alone.

i'm grateful nicole's horses are so gentle and patient with beginners like me. because she could have become a whirlwind with all my mishandling of the bridle.

then, after my girl's lesson, nicole stands with her back to her horse and slides that bridle on like a sock on a foot. two seconds tops. it's amazing to watch someone who knows what they are doing do what they do best.

we watched her ride a bit for the saddlefitter and wandered off to grab some grub.

that's all for now, i'm getting a headache just thinking of having to take my girl to her meeting tonight.

sigh. maybe i can find some way out of it.
just maybe.