Honeymoon Stage
Simon and I are leaving the honeymoon stage I think. At first it was the Wow! You’re my new horse and you’re amazing in every way and I’m gonna love you forever and ever and ever because you’re the most special creature that was ever created!
That probably lasted from July (when he first officially became mine) until September.
In October through December we were in a different but still honeymoon phase. We had been to two local hunter/jumper shows, and not only did I not fall off and embarrass myself away from showing forever but we also jumped all the jumps. On the first try! In the right order! It was astonishing! Worth more than any ribbon they could have handed me at the show (which is good, because we were handed none haha).
And then he went lame, and I was so sad. Oh so sad. He was never going to get better. Never ever. But behold! Four months later and he was recovering! And then I rode him! And then I trotted him! And all was right with the world.
So I rode, and rode some more. And trotted, and trotted some more. And then I started thinking, Hey – let’s not drop your inside shoulder here. No, lateral work really is going to happen right now. Transitions are your friend, I promise!
In short, we started getting to work.
Ok, not quite like that but I’m excited to be training again and ready! Still taking things very slow. We are riding for 30-45 minutes with a long walk warm up and cool down, and then mixing trotting with lateral work at the walk only. This slow buildup back into strength is forcing giving me an excellent time to improve our transitions (which were stinky) and lateral work (which was almost non-existence). I need to remember to be patient and not expect him to pick up exactly where we left off. If he’s a bit fussy with his head, that’s okay. Just go forward and go forward properly.
So even though I’m not blinded by rainbows at the barn, I’m so happy and thankful to be riding my sweet boy again and kissing his big white nose when we finish all our trot trot 🙂
15 thoughts on “Honeymoon Stage”
I’m still in a honeymoon faze, I believe! Every time I see my boy I can’t help but be all lovey dovey! :)) I’m so happy for you and Simon!! He seems to be improving so much, I’m sure you are so relieved!!!
Being in the honeymoon phase for a long time definitely isn’t a bad thing 🙂
4 years later, I’m pretty sure I’m still in the honeymoon phase (except my quarterly “omg you’re so small” fit). I’m not sure if this honeymoon phase will stay forever because she’s my first horse, or if it’ll start to fade as we start in real training and the actual work starts, haha. I know she will always be incredibly special to me for a multitude of reasons, and I know she’s the one horse that I will always have. The possibility of lameness or unsuitability at the levels I would like to strive for are one of the main reasons I got a mare… hopefully she’ll be a wonderful mama someday.
So glad Simon is starting to come around again… and his white nose is pretty darn cute.
I’m sure she will have a long and successful show career before she’s a momma!
I think I was done my honeymoon phase with Walker about a month in when he started body slamming me into walls. I love him dearly and still think rainbows shoot out his eyes, but I’ve become a realist about our marriage! There’s still plenty of love though – just a comfortable love as opposed to a “he can do no wrong” kind of love.
Oh yikes, that would do it to me too!
You’ve got to move past the honeymoon stage at some point. And it’s a good thing. It starts hard but I believe that’s when you really start to build that deep bond with your horse.
Yup, agreed. I don’t really think you hit your mark with a horse relationship until the year 3 mark, or around there.
I believe with some horses the honeymoon stage will last forever!
Haha sounds like me and Wiz! I’m in that stage where half the time you’re fighting “OMG WHY CAN’T YOU JUST DO THIS!!!” and half the time you’re still bragging about how amazing your significant other is, except this time its a horse. 🙂
But it is nice later when you can go back and look and see all the progress you made. Good luck on the recovery! I know its frustrating not being able to pick up right where you left off.
Yup! It’s a constant success and failure, give and take haha.
Yay! So glad the rehab is going smoothly.
Ahahahaha! I totally shrieked in delight at the third photo, you master of photo correlation. I’m glad you and Simon are in the working phase of your relationship; but I’m even more glad he’s back in work and rehabbing well. It’s so weird to be in the honeymoon phase–I’d had Patty for so long that I’d forgotten about it. As dorky as it sounds, I can’t wait to be where you and Simon are, because that’s when the real bond develops, IMO.
I’m still at the honeymoon stage with Flurry! Yeah I know he can be a little too pushy on the ground when there’s food around, but I <3 him anyway.
As for Aero, he's my son! A different set of emotions altogether!!
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