Frisky | Gaining Confidence

With my confidence so low I really was at a loss. Not a clue what to do. Hidalgo and I needed a break. 🤣 I cried so much. I even thought of selling him. I tell my husband Hidalgo was my first heartbreak.

Summertime came again.

I had Frisky for a while and she seemed to gain a new appreciation for me since during the week she was a workhorse. I think her days with me were more like a spa day, especially during the summer. I wouldn't ride her long hours. Just enough to get the hang of things. She was also maturing. It was a different experience. I just remember her acting very very weird. No ear pinning. Super loving, I mean she tried to hug me with her neck and head multiple times. Was worried she was going to smoother me. I could not be out of her sight she would freak out. Frisky, yes, Frisky the horse who wanted nothing to do with no one was being very social and touchy-feely. I was very confused.

Our shower at the farm was separate from our house. It was a concrete building with just a shower curtain for the entrance. I remember going in to take a shower, Frisky freaked out and started galloping around the building and neighing so loud. Then she dove into the shower with me. Pass the curtain which she was not like her. I will say I felt a little exposed but I realized. She was in heat for the first time. Poor thing she was probably going through a lot and was confused. She just wanted attention and company. This is funny as I was starting to menstruate so I sympathized. Oh, the woes of womanhood. Made for good bonding material haha. She eventually got used to her cycles and you could never really tell if she was in heat or not mood-wise. I wish I could say the same about myself hehe. She wasn't very interested in other horses even if she was in heat which was remarkable and a bit odd. Not complaining. I don't think I could handle her running away and going awry too. We felt comfortable enough with each I decided to ride her. I didn't really ride her much before this and she didn't have a bridle. She has always ridden with a one rein rope halter or just a rope halter/bridle. I was a bit wary as I had gotten used to the idea of horses needing bits to control them but then again I couldn't even control Hidalgo with a bit. Plus, I trusted Frisky way more. I was pleasantly surprised. She was very focused on me and what I was asking of her and she did a phenomenal job of anticipating what I needed. She was totally ok with whatever I wanted to do. I gathered enough courage after riding around on the flat ground for a while to go down the dreaded hill ( I mean it really wasn't a hill). I think she felt how tense I was. She walked down it step by step at a snail's pace on her own. I was just sitting there bracing myself against the fear o her taking off. She never went faster than I wanted and always did exactly what I needed. When I needed her to slow down or stop she would instantly. I got more and more confident. It didn't take long. She also would change gaits instantly and smoothly when I asked her to. She taught me how easy, soft and subtle the communication between rider and horse can be. We did really feel like one unit. It is so funny because she is like the meanest tiny tyrant but if you put a person on her back she would take her precious cargo very seriously. I always admired her for that. You could tell she was all bark no bite all along.

I then tried cantering up hills and we worked our way up to a gallop. Since she was smaller and I was pretty tall for her she was actually harder to balance on which I think helped me in the long run. And if I were to fall. Meh. The ground was not that far. I don't think I ever did fall off of her come to think of it.

We kept at it and we got pretty good. I have to really thank her for teaching me all the basics and building my confidence. Since she changed gaits so easily I could focus on learning to balance where Hidalgo it was a battle of getting him to move or stop. I also got to a point where I could ride her without anything which really set the tone early on with how I wanted to reach that level of trust and respect with all of my horses. Finally, I was "galloping" up and down the very hill, I was afraid of.

For a while, I thought. You know I can just ride Frisky forever. However, I was still growing so that was not going to happen. I often wonder what she would be like in a bigger body. She was always willing and tried her best at everything asked of her. Definitely more athletic and coordinated than Hidalgo. ( Sorry Bing!) I imagine if she were a tall horse I would have ridden her for years. I was ready though because I was determined not to give up on myself or Hidalgo. Lol, that sentence sounds like it came out of a rom-com.