The DOR and I went for a ride the other evening. That isn't really a big deal, but something that evening was... It was the first time since I dumped the DOR that she mounted up and didn't feel any fear at all, not even a little butterfly! We had a wonderful ride, I was able to concentrate clearly on what the DOR wanted without trying to figure out what was making her worried. I always felt like she was waiting for me to launch to the moon, that she knew that I was going to panic if she asked me to do something hard. Heck if I didn't panic during the tumbleweed twister nothing was going to panic me, okay the grocery sack is still an issue but the DOR is afraid of planes so we are even.
I did a lot of new things too while she was riding. I side-passed 8 feet both directions twice for the first time ever! I walked across the horse eating blue tarp 4 times, not one snort. I didn't even run for the hills when the tarp was being drug out into the arena by the instructor. I watched it closely, I didn't snort because I was being an invisible appy so the tarp wouldn't know I was there-I also didn't want to discourage the DOR. I walked over poles and did not tap my feet once. I also nailed turning on the hind quarters and turning on the fore quarters. I was a rock star and the DOR was grinning away. She said it was like heaven, everything was so wonderful.
It seems to me that the two of us have gotten past my werehorse incident. It is nice to have our riding relationship back on solid ground. I have found it takes DORs time to get over their fear, just like it takes horses. I had to be patient, understanding, and careful not to push her too hard. Courage is something that builds slowly, something that needs to be tended so that it doesn't wither and fade away-we have been tending our courage together.
Has your DOR ever lost their confidence? What did you do to help them?
My DOR has been working with trainers, riding other horses on trails, reading lots, talking her fears through with other riders, and starting over from the beginning with me. She found that every rider is afraid at one time or another, it was just something she had never had to face before and she took it hard. Now that she is back to normal, well as normal as she gets, we are going to have grand adventures together!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR
Rumor alert: the rumor running the ranch is that the Support Crew Chief is getting a horse of his own! Fine with me, but the DOR better hadn't play with it, that's all I have to say.
