I've got that feeling

Wednesday saw Prisoner and I hauling to another lesson.  He really, really, really stepped up to the plate.

Not to scale

In addition to what I have drawn were caveletti set on a S curve, one stride, bounce, one stride.

Only did this twice, he was perfect

We warmed up and then started out with the trot fence.  It was a cross rail oxer of sorts and then gradually went up to a real oxer.  The first couple times Prisoner really wanted to know why there were placing poles on both sides of the jump.  He never wavered, but we jumped way high in the air so he could take a look.  It was a great exercise for him to learn about not jumping so far out from the jumps.

What he started like

and progressed to this

and then this

After going back and forth over this, turning both ways and then halting afterwards, we added the other elements in the arena.  Trot jump, canter to middle jump in S line and then loop over the caveletti.  That rode very well so we added in the canter five stride to five stride S line.  I was worried that he would struggle with the turns and he didn't really at all.  We swung super wide that first time and it rode a 6 to a 7, but after that I tightened up the turns and got the 5 to 5 every time.  Once coming from the other way he went all 'to infinity and beyond' and we totally missed the middle jump.

First jump 

Middle jump

We really worked on me asking him for enough pace well before the jumps so that he wouldn't feel under powered and then rush.  In his greenness it is a little like a pendulum.  We swing back and forth between too much and too little speed and power, each ride we find that sweet spot more and more often though.

Whee!

Not through enough

That's a bit better

I also can't let him trick me into fussing with him, if he wants to get uppity and strange in front of jumps it is my job to sit up, sit still, and keep my leg on.  I feel like we are really making progress on this, but as always there is room for improvement.

Love the shadow

The first time saw that shadow on the ground he said WTF, really I could hear him

Don't touch those poles

Look mom no feet.

Towards the end of the lesson we added in the very narrow brick walls.  I came around the turn at the walk and when we were nice and straight picked up the trot.  He was hesitant and then went for it and for some unknown reason I apparently thought that the best option would be to fling myself at his neck and be all sorts of awkward.  Poor horse.  Then he informed me that the walls must be dangerous considering that I forgot how to ride over them.  I let him walk up and sniff them and then re presented.  He was wobbly, but went and after a few tries was feeling very solid.  We never did them in the canter or in a row, but we were able to solidly trot them one at a time.  I was very pleased considering the confirmed 3' and 3'3" horses in the lesson had struggles with the walls.

Getting better but still tense

Yay forward and bold

Even miss Zida needed a little help, we were equine wings

I was super pleased with the progress throughout the lesson.  There were some real challenges and he just kept trying the whole time!

Lets go do some cross country!!

Trotting into the oxer, need more pace

Landing gear

Rocking the oxer 

Love how soft this is

Love my horse

Huge thanks to Alyssa for the photos!  Go check out her bloghop!