Out of the Way

Things continue to go well with little TC. This last week we've had good rides every single time I've sat on him, which is very unusual. I think he's settling into living out in his big paddock (apparently he plays with his neighbors constantly and runs around too) and it's helping with his ability to just go to work. And I love his love of work.

My main focus, as I've said previously, has been to dump movements on him. I spent a long time doing the basic training this last summer, and it was great for him. And in the last couple weeks since I've been riding him again (before that he had a week off because he pancaked my foot), he's really shown me that he's ready for more. He really thrives on learning new things.

He's ready for his rider to stop looking down

That doesn't mean we're abandoning the basics though. Training scale wise, we're still working on straightness, and this I can see being an ongoing thing. Not because of him, but because of me. I just love pulling on the left rein. And his weak left hind wants to stay out behind him and to the inside, which makes me feel like I'm being propelled right (because I am), which makes me want to pull even more on the left rein (which I shouldn't). So a lot of our warm up is spent doing lateral work at the walk and riding figures at the trot and canter with the main focus of keeping him up to the left rein and not bending him at all that direction.

It's hard. But boy when he gets it, he's a different horse! And then he breaks. Oh well.

I'm also making engagement and activity in his hind end a priority. As his shoulders get less tight, he's learning to use them more (he stretches them himself in the cross ties as he gets his front leg as high up as he possibly can and just leaves it there, he'd love to be in the SRS) and he's moving bigger in front, but the hind legs need to catch up. I'm struggling with how to do this- he's already so short coupled and I feel like his legs go under him enough for where he's at training wise. He's got that baroque type in him (but I wouldn't really consider him totally baroque) that produces that big front end and slower hind end. Gotta speed up those hind legs, but without adding tension.

He's like riding a bouncing ball

On Saturday I managed to get some pictures (on this post) and video (coming when I can get it uploaded, ugh) of us! There were some things that I was really happy to see, but obviously with any media, there were some things that I really wanted to change.

He's still not looking as strong or fit as he was last year, but he's getting more comfortable with his balance and that's showing, especially in the canter. There were a ton of pictures to choose from at the canter, and not as many at the trot, which really shows how much it has improved. And actually I ruined most of the trot pictures (and so many canter pictures too, gah), not him. I texted Kate that it looked like Carl Hester had let some peasant ride one of his fancy young horses. She had to remind me that I did kind of make the horse. I forget that.

Oh yah, he didn't do this when I started with him

In addition to the basics, on Friday and Saturday we schooled some movements. They were mostly from First level, though I am absolutely drilling the haunches-in, renvers, and half pass at the walk and starting it at the trot too. I've been using test riding to kind of test out how these movements are going, and I've been really pleased with how easy he is to test ride.

With Rico, it was always the tests holding us back, not the movements (meaning we could do each of the movements but not string them together), and maybe that's just the FEI levels since the tests are so so long and difficult. But I'm really appreciating TC's attitude toward work and how developed his baseline gaits are, both of which help in test riding (and were Rico's weaknesses). During tests he doesn't need much adjustment or influence from me. There's not much prep work for any movements and when you, er, make a mistake and have to pull him into a movement, he just complies. No questions asked. As if that's just how you're supposed to ride (luckily he doesn't know that your rider shouldn't be going oh fuck I think we're supposed to lengthen here, go go go!)

The baseline gaits make all the difference. In no test did I have to remind him to stay on the bit (except early on he was coming a bit hollow in the canter transitions, that's gone now), stay forward, stay bending, stay focused, etc. He just does it. The more out of his way I can get, the better he goes. Sometimes it feels like I'm only there to cause problems and make mistakes and that if I just got off, he could do the test much better.

"Lengthened" canter, it's not as lengthened as he can go, but tbh,
I'm kind of afraid of his actual lengthening

I really expected First level to be too much for him, because the canter lengthenings are tricky and the leg yields and the smaller figures. But no, actually his 15m canter circles are more like 12m and his canter lengthenings are bombing as long as his rider lets him GO. Which I don't want to do. It literally feels like I'm galloping them and he's barely moving.

The leg yields are really easy in 1-2, and I'm only just starting to school the zig zag for 1-3. I have schooled some counter canter and I guess he had enough time on the wrong lead as a baby (so frustrating lol) that he feels totally comfortable in counter canter. Only occasionally will he boing up and swap (and honestly, it doesn't happen in the counter canter as much as it happens down the long sides), but I can't really complain about that right now since I have asked for changes recently. Woops.

He's so fun, even if the trot isn't as strong these days

It was a great ride and I'm really glad to have the test riding to help me understand where he's at. We're definitely going to do more test riding in the future (unless the rain keeps us out of the dressage court again, boo) and still picking away at the engagement, quickness of the hind legs, and my inability to ride him straight. And just enjoying the horse, that's been really fun recently.