Just a quick update

So I rode UK yesterday, which was very brave of me! The wind was whipping around with 30mph gusts, but for me it felt fantastic after all the heat. UK is somewhat spooky as it is, but add a massive temperature change to cooler weather plus the wind and it's a recipe for disaster. Thus I put him on the lungeline before getting on him. Good thing! He had a whole little temper tantrum which included bucking.

Then with a prayer to the heavens and a determined attitude I mounted my crazy beast. His whole body was tense, and just waiting to explode. I swallowed my nerves and buried them in the back of my mind. Lots of forward trot, and lots of circles while working on being balanced. Every step I had my weight sunk as deep into my heel as possible, letting my very long legs keep me anchored. My torn left ankle makes this a bit painful, but I preferred enduring that little bit of pain to the potential pain of being thrown. Eventually UK focused and started to relax a tiny bit. I rewarded him every time he relaxed, trying to get it into his head that paying attention to me and not the scary things outside the ring was best.

I had changed the big oxer from free jumping him the day before to a nice big crossrail that we could pop over if he continued being good. I knew he'd jump it, as it was a little bit too high to just trot over. However I was not expecting the massive jump that he gave me. We trotted up to it, with me holding my leg and then BAM he jumped it like it was the big oxer from the day before. Thank goodness for muscle memory! I admit, I wasn't able to catch up with him quite as fast as I would have liked, but that was mostly due to the fact I still had my stirrups long for flatting. Thus I caught his mouth for about a second before I let the reins slip through my fingers on the landing. I made him keep cantering afterwards and then walked to regroup.

We attempted to jump it again, but now he was scared off it and stopped when we approached it again. So I spanked him once with my hand. I think the reason he was acting off about it was the shadows were making it seem like there was something in front of it, thus making it look wider then it was.

Not wanting to fight him, I changed tacts. I made him pick up the canter, we did a couple circles and then went back to trot. Then I changed directions and trotted the crossrail tracking left. He was reluctant, but moved forward when asked. Lots of praise was given and then we cantered it, more praise after doing it perfectly. Then we turned back to tracking right and successfully trotted it that way a couple times. Then we ended on that high note.

I gave him today off, but I plan on doing something with him tomorrow as I dragged the ring today. All that fluffy footing is just begging to be ridden on!