Wizard Ride 135: Thunder Chicken

Saturday, 4/10/10

It has been said that there is no spring in New Jersey, only winter, fall, and summer. Saturday was the rogue spring day, for sure, with temperatures in the high 50s and low 60s. I free schooled Wizard in the indoor arena for a few minutes before I tacked up and rode. We hit the trails and rode for about an hour. At the very beginning of the trail ride, we approached a stream that cuts across the trail- Wizard LEAPT over it when we walked through it in hand a few weeks ago. This time, I was riding. We walked toward it purposefully, but Wizard stutter-stepped and halted before it. I asked again, he stutter-stepped again and stopped. He backed up a few steps. I kept him facing the stream and asked him again to move forward. One foot in the water, and then back out again. I rewarded each forward motion and urged on each time he moved back or stopped. I did not allow him to spin or turn. This lasted a few minutes. I tried my best to keep it as a discussion instead of turning it into an argument. He walks through all sorts of puddles at home, so he is not afraid of all water. Something about the stream made him think it was a major obstacle. He made a few more good efforts, and then I could feel him shutting down a little to my aids. I woke him up by clapping my hand on him behind the saddle. It gave him the forward action that he needed to go forward. I could feel himself gathering his haunches so I gave him his head and grabbed a hank of mane and… BOING! We were on the other side, walking purposefully once again.

Onward and upward. Not five minutes into the ride, I started hearing loud noises in the woods. They seemed too loud to be the usual ATVs. We kept walking toward the sounds. Crashing, whirring, roaring. Hm. And here I thought the creek was going to be the highlight. In the distance, I saw an ATV, and something BIG and WHITE behind it. It was a Bobcat-type piece of machinery, tearing down trees. I’m sure Wizard saw it as a tree-eating dinosaur. To his credit, he stood his ground and simply got taller and taller. I could feel his heart beating through the saddle pad. In a fit of self-preservation, I dismounted and we walked past the tree-eating dinosaur and onto a bank where I remounted. Wizard’s adrenaline was up and he was mouthing the bit and his head was raised. We headed toward the pig pen, where he again tensed up, but gamely walked past when I told him how brave and clever he was. We crossed the road to the other network of trails and did a little trotting. It was not the spontaneous, fun trot set that we got last time. Instead, Wizard was tense and tried to break into a canter several times. I let him canter once, but asked him to keep the trot for the rest of the flat stretch. When we came back to a walk, he was still tense, eyeing objects suspiciously. When I say objects, you must remember that we are riding in Jackson, New Jersey, and there is everything in the woods, from couches to tires to carpets.

Just as we passed a ghoulish-looking piece of furniture, Wizard craned his neck. What now? I wondered testily, and then, WHOOSH! A wild turkey walked into our path, startled at us, and FLEW up into a tree! I knew turkeys could fly, but I rarely see them do it. Poor Wizard’s mind was blown. He had stood his ground, but I could feel his anxiety. We walked the rest of the way home, and I practiced my half seat position, both for my equitation and as a desensitizing exercise for Wizard.

We arrived at the barn, and Wizard was still feeling quite energetic. I rode him into the big outdoor arena and did about fifteen minutes of trot work. He was great, relaxed and softly making contact with the bit. A barn buddy saw us riding and did not recognize either of us because she said we looked so nice :^) After our eventful ride, Wizard got some well-deserved carrots and grazing time.

In other news…

Racing has lost one of the greats. Personal Ensign, the undefeated Phipps homebred, passed away on Thursday. Check out her stunning victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She was sired by Private Account, who is Wizard’s grandsire.