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!

I think this weather sucks.

Yup, I really hate it. Mid to upper 80's in May is so not okay. The bugs are killer and there is no relief from the heat. Ugh! I've been riding UK bareback as the thought of putting on half chaps makes me wince. I have never enjoyed the heat, and I doubt I will till I'm old and decrepit. 

The upside of riding him bareback (besides making my muscles work twice as hard) is that it's as close contact as you can get, so it's great for working on lateral movements! We do a lot of bending and circles, as he's still not quite balanced enough when tracking right. Counter bend seems to help him the most, and it has the added benefit of keeping him focused. 

This morning before the heat reached unbearable temperatures I lunged UK, first on a lunge line then free over a jump. He was a bit cranky at first, as Dacharia was making a big deal about me keeping him from her. I took pictures using the sport motion setting again. I love going through all the photos, it's like an animation!

Look at him bend! Look at that neck!! 

I am so very, very proud! 

He only knocked a rail down once, and it was because Dacharia distracted him and he got too deep. Other then that he was excellent. (I started him out over a crossrail oxer first before putting it up to the height in the pictures.)

:p

So that's it for now. Hopefully it will cool down soon so I can actually jump him under saddle without getting heat stroke!

Spring time fun!

For Mother's Day I went with my friend Robin, who owns The Gifted Pony, LLC to help her with her booth/tent at a horse show up in Mass. I was really impressed with the little show, and love the fact that they have a green horse division. I'm seriously going to try to bring UK up there for his first show. Not too big, not too small and nice people.

I rode him western this week as I was trying out a used saddle. The tree was too wide so I ended up giving it back, but it was tons of fun riding him western. His pokey western trot is so comfy, and then his canter was fun, as he just kept getting lower and lower as I gave him more reins. I wasn't even riding him in a bit with a curb, just a sweet iron eggbutt snaffle. I think he was partially showing off for his girlfriend as Kristy was riding Dacharia at the same time.

Yesterday I decided that I should start getting him ready for a show environment... I purchased fake flowers at the local dollar store. *Evil Laugh Here* Because I know with my luck UK would have a heart attack if his first time dealing with them was at a show.

As predicted, UK was not sure how he felt about them when I first presented them for his inspection.

What do you mean they're not for eating?!

I brought the plastic bag full of the fake flowers with me to the ring and left it sitting in the middle of the ring while I had UK do some free-lunging flatwork. He did really well, listening and reacting to my voice commands better then ever. He actually worked instead of just running around the ring like a crazy man. When he'd gone both directions, I let him chill while I put up an outside two stride line with flowers underneath each. Because I knew he'd be chicken at first I left them as little half rails, so he'd be able to stay safe if he got awkward.

Turns out I was right. He cantered right up to the first jump like a pro, then BAM he saw the flowers, threw on the brakes and booked it for the other side of the ring. He repeated that twice, I just talked him through it and then with a great show of nerves he jumped the first jump but cut out in order not to jump the second one as he didn't realize that one had flowers too! I talked him through it, and he came back and did the line. We then changed directions and did them the other way. Lots of praise ensued and he got to take a break again while I put poles up so they were now verticals instead of half rails. 

It's not the best video, as I used my cell phone. But it still shows how cute he is, and how much he loves to jump. I'm not even holding the whip, or urging him forward with my hands. All I use is my voice and I just stand in the middle. 

It is so satisfying to see all my hard work start to pay off. He's less fearful and more confident of himself, and I'm so very proud of him! 

Now hopefully it'll stop raining so I can ride him again soon!

Lunging and Free Jumping

So after two days of rain, today dawned sunny and warm. I had lunged UK despite the gross weather yesterday. All this climate change has been making my ankle hurt like the dickens, so riding hasn't really been possible.

I managed to drag the ring before the rain started earlier in the week (I think it was Monday, not sure) only to have the battery die in the tractor... So it's been sitting in the ring with the dreaded tarp on top of it. I've been moving it around the ring and making UK lunge near/around it. Feeding him on the tarp seemed to really be the step we needed to take. It's still scary but not enough to send him flying across the ring, it only warrants a small spook now.

So after lunging him on a lungeline, I let UK loose to free jump. This was after getting him to follow me over the calvaletti with the tarp over it!!!! MOMENTOUS OCCASION! He got a whole carrot for that.

Below is a video of all the pictures I took with my camera of him free jumping. He had a couple knockdowns, mostly due to getting distracted, but no problems otherwise. He's really starting to adjust himself as needed. Not only did he canter everything, but he also trotted everything as well. I think the jumps ended up being 2'6", but I honestly am not sure.

Anyhoo, enjoy!