Trying to work in the Arena

Trying to work in the Arena

Since Ellen and I took so much vacation time in November and December, combined with conquering the loop in the back of the property, I have never ridden so little in an indoor arena since the years when we didn’t have one. This is a good thing—and a bad thing. It’s good that I have been able to ride so much outside, but it’s bad because I am having such a problem getting my brain in the place it needs to be to ride inside.

I won’t have any more vacation time until spring, and I’m sure that the weather won’t be so cooperative now that it is January. I face weeks—even months—or working in the arena. Soon, we may not even be able to get outside much on the weekends. I have to get focused.

Ellen usually rides Dante in the arena on the days she has to go to work. She rides Ranger outside, so she isn’t so compelled to ride Dante outside, too. I used to be like that when I had 2 horses, too. She is doing so well with Dante. Every time I see her work him in the arena, and can see improvement.

She does have an advantage, though. Dante is a much easier horse to ride inside. He doesn’t have the “big trot” that Cole has, so he is less exhausting. They don’t have the “snort issue,” either. That is when Cole refuses to go if he has to snort. We have arguments about it all the time. Once we get through the snort, he does fine, but if I take a break—and I often need to because I get so tired from “the big trot”, the snorting problem starts up, again.

I think I just need to build up my stamina, but that has been hard to do when I only ride in the arena once a week. Last year, I had plenty of stamina since Ellen broke her ankle—and I still had Cruiser. I was riding 4 horses.

I guess, a long-term solution to this problem is to get another horse to build up my stamina. So, I’m looking. Well, actually I have been looking since Cruiser died. Ideally, my future horse should be around 2-3 years old. That would be easy if I wanted a common breed, but what I would like the most is another Morab. Sadly, I just don’t think that is going to happen. No one seems to be breeding them anymore.

My second choice is a Morgan. To make things more complicated, I really want an old-style Morgan. There aren’t that many of them. I’ve never been a big fan of the ones that look more like Saddlebreds. My first horse, Brandy, was an old-style Morgan, and so is Dante. Actually, Cole’s Morgan side is, too. There are some out there, but there aren’t many. I feel by spring I will be able to find one. Having a new horse to train will spark my ambition, too. I think is may be just what I need.

That doesn’t solve my problem of sparking my ambition, right now. I just have to get right in there to start working, setting goals and improving my riding.

I guess I am at that stage of winter where I simply won’t have any choice…