Beg Pardon

I'm sorry. Was I just yesterday extolling the virtues of the made horse? I may have to take that back.

Star was absolutely awful tonight.  It was like she had forgotten everything she knows.  The plan was just to do some dressage-y flatwork, really encouraging her to step under herself and use her hind end.  Ha!  The ride went something like this:

Nicole: Walk
Star: Walk?  What's walk?  Jig?  Okay.
Nicole: No, walk
Star: Unbalanced, strung-out trot?  Okay.
Nicole: Walk, dammit.
Star: Back to the jig?  Okay.
Nicole: Whoa and back your ass up!
Star: Back? What's back?  Forward and circles?  Okay.
Nicole: Whoa
Star: I like this one
Nicole: Walk
Star: Plod? Okay
Nicole: Walk on
Star: Trot?  Okay
Nicole: Walk
Nicole: Trot
Star: Slowly slog myself into a jog?  Okay
Nicole: Walk
Nicole: Trot NOW
Star: Run into a too-fast trot on my forehand?  Okay
Nicole: Easy
Nicole: Bend, please
Star: Bend?  Huh? Giraffe?
Nicole: Give to the bit, please
Star: Need more giraffe?

And so it went.  We tried a few spirals at the trot... those weren't terrible, in terms of bend, but there was ZERO impulsion.  Everything about our ride just felt stiff, unbalanced, lacking impulsion and/or any semblance of hind end engagement, and completely lacking in obedience.  *Sigh*  I finally gave up.

I'm not going to beat my head against a wall over this, because I know it was a one-off event, but that doesn't really make it any less frusturating.  It was honestly one of the worst rides I've had in a very long time - and that includes the recent falls off Sparky.  *Grrr*

Horses keep you humble, I guess.