I made my self ride Ace in the barn today and I really enjoyed it. He was lovely, much more relaxed than normal and we did two of each on each rein of -
circle at each and and middle
change of rein across the diagonal while staying into my hand across the change of bend
three loop serpentine
leg yield
shoulder in
and he was so good each time that I didn't need to do more that the one repetition. Then we did some walk-trot transitions, only trotting one bend because of the tight space, and he took a few goes before he stopped flicking his head up and manage to keep soft and do the transition at the same time.
Then we did 2 halts, second one square, and I stopped.
By then th ewind had dropped and it had stopped snowing and was thawing, so I leapt onto Radar and took him out on a good fast hack. He marched on so fast that when I got back I thought my watch was an hour slow. I use kids Timex velcro watches to ride in and they have a funny habit of dropping exactly one hour when the battery is running flat. I never understand why, but they do! Anyway, it wasn't slow, I had simply managed to tack up, complete a ride that normally takes at least an hour, untack, rug up, turn out and get back inside the house in 45 minutes. How, don't ask me, because I really didn't feel that we were rushing, just riding out with "purpose". Whatever, we were both having a grand time and Radar was very happy to be out on the roads in the snow.
C
What a great post. I can read your smile in every word.
ReplyDeleteAce really outdid himself managing to work so well in the small arena. He's really learning to use his body well.
And Radar must have been full throttle out there. Big boy moving out to his potential, I think. Sounds as if it made for a good time had by all. *G*
Radar seems to walk about as fast as other horses trot, Jean. He is walking with a sense of purpose but I would not say that he is rushing, I guess he just has a big stride.
ReplyDeleteC