Current Status

Because of weather and various other issues we’ve only hauled out to our local ring three times since the first of the year.  This shot is from the third outing last Saturday.  Cruise was pretty chill off the trailer, targeted a few things around the ring in hand each way, lunged in loose side reins all over with a nice through trot, and stepped into the canter easily holding his canter for more than a single circle.  His balance and strength on the lunge are getting so much better and his demeanor was calm and relaxed.

Then I turned him loose tacked up and he parked himself right at the mounting block when I signaled him.  I just love this trick!  Under saddle we worked on smaller serpentines, halts, circles, leg yields, figure eights and going large.  At the trot we started off with circles and the did our first figure eights at the trot.  I was pleased with how he easily went from one bend to the other at the trot.  He is so much more able to be straight after a winter of lunging with his weight to the outside and many many serpentine loops under saddle at the walk.

After I untacked  him he got to be loose for a wander and then we went to explore the small outdoor ring in hand.  He got pretty up because there were horses loose in a herd right next door and lots of activity.  We did some targeting, some backing and head down, and a few circles.  I think it will take a few times of adding this location after under saddle work to get things relaxed but it is really good prep for shows.

Overall I’m super pleased with where he’s at right now.  Calm, cooperative, happy to see me, and up for whatever I might have planned.  Working outside, especially with other horses, needs more practice, but that’s to be expected since he hasn’t had much exposure this winter.  Under saddle I am really pleased with how much more rideable he is since he can now get off of that right shoulder and have a right bend.  He still rides like a green bean but less so if you know what I mean.

After looking at the short videos from Saturday where some of the work looked like the above and some looked like a giraffe, I decided to see what would happen if I changed my posture a bit.  Sunday I lunged and then rode him inside,  basically putting my feet on the dash, sitting baaaack, and on a really loose rein.  Wow.  He stretched right down to his knees at the trot, stayed weighted to the outside of the circle, and bounced right along.  I found it surprisingly easy because he is built so uphill.  Even when he is stretching his shoulders are up.  I’m going to play with keeping everything the same with him as far as lunging, under saddle exercises, and ground work and just play with my posture on a loose contact this week.  Exciting stuff!