Into the Outside Rein

TC had five days off because of the dressage show and my general need to finish my grading, my work for two different jobs, and my final paper for my final class. But I did manage to get out to the barn this morning to get him out (because if I hadn't, he would have had a week off and yikes).

He probably would have been happier to see me if I didn't ride him at 9am when he was still eating, but he was still happy to see me and happy that I took his food with him so he could eat while we tacked up.

And then he got to eat after, score!

All the way into the barn, he snorted. You know that snort that they do when something horrible is happening to them, it's not your normal blowing, it's like they're thinking holy shit I might die because look at that thing over there, it's just not right! There's a little more sound to it, not just air blowing out of their nose. Yeah he did that the whole way into the barn, the whole time he was being tacked up, and all the way into the arena, during his longe, and only stopped when I got on him.

So yes I was smart enough to longe the four year old I hadn't ridden in almost a week before I got on him. I am sometimes intelligent around this horse, it's rare though.

Lots of pawing, always with the pawing

I had to drag him into the arena because everything was different after turning into a feral horse and he couldn't stop looking at everything around him to actually walk. I threw him on the longe line and expected him to explode. He just walked. I asked him to trot. He did so quietly. I asked for canter and got a head shake. Then we switched directions. THEN he actually exploded, and by exploded I mean that he scooted a couple steps, stuck his head down and porpoised, then quietly trotted away. So yeah I just climbed up on top of him.

For the first five minutes, he was a complete moron. He didn't do anything wrong, but he sure didn't do anything right. He basically tore around the arena at the trot, evidently forgetting all of his education- no bend, no balance, and for sure NOT on the bit.

A couple of stern half halts later and I had my dreamy horse back. He was a bit more INTO the contact today than he normally is, but I actually liked that. His bit is so light right now (thick double jointed bit, think kk ultra but 2x as thick) that if he does end up being a little heavy, I can always throw him in a french link or something a bit more severe (hah) to get him to lighten up. I'm more concerned about him NOT pushing into the bridle because he needs to learn to lift his shoulders.

He's a cute one

By the time I had my horse back, he had already been longed for 10 minutes and ridden for 5. I'm trying to keep my rides under 30 minutes based on my recent reading. I think more rides at 30 minutes or less is better than 3 big long 40+  minute rides each week. So I quickly cantered him.

The canter felt amazing today. He was powerful and forward but much better balanced than the last time I rode him. He went immediately on the bit in both directions, though he's still learning to bound up into contact rather than kind of brace in the part of his neck right in front of the whither and careen around. He struggled once with picking up the right lead, which is good enough. We have so long before cantering in tests that I don't think it will be an issue. I try not to make it a big deal.

Back to trot, I worked on some figure eights. Today these were legitimate 8s instead of some weird boxy figure on the bottom and an odd tear drop on the top. Like I was able to push him out into the outside rein easily from my inside leg and he ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO IT AND STAYED THERE. Finally, this is what dressage is supposed to feel like.

Love his weird face

I was able to ask for proper bend by putting him more into my outside rein and softening my inside rein forward to allow him to stretch into contact. Then I was able to half halt the outside rein and switch my legs as I went to change directions so that he would be momentarily straight, as both of my reins became inside reins for a moment, before he stepped into the new outside rein and connected.

Best. Figure-8. Ever.

THEN he offered me a stretch circle. A real, live, locally grown, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free (did I miss anything) stretch circle. He dropped his poll for a step and I softened to let him stretch down. I kept him more connected/heavier than I normally would expect because he needed my support. It still needs work because he really can't steer when he's down there and we went careening off our line, but it was an amazing feeling to have that feeling in the bridle.

He's definitely still oddly shaped...

I let him walk after that and we ended with some shoulder-in and leg yields. Gosh he's so good in that damn arena. Now it's really time to tackle the neighbor's again. I'm hoping to get out tomorrow but one of my bosses (on a project I'm almost done with) is trying to call me in. I really really wanted to ride! So fingers crossed that he has time on Wednesday so I can ride my pony tomorrow.

I'm all pumped to get him going better in other places so that we can hit the show ring. After coaching this weekend I was itching to get him in a real show. He's going to be so fun once as he figures out that being in a new arena isn't the most terrifying thing that could happen to him.