This Horse

Today was lesson day and I can't wait to share the pictures that Sprinklerbandit got.  For starters, lets all have a  moment of silence for her iPhone skillz, these aren't screenshots from video.

His neck, his knees, his everything

I warmed up with a nice forward trot and canter, mostly just trying to avoid other people, there were 6 of us today, and one was a really squirrely youngster.  The jumps started out as piles of poles on the ground with flower boxes.  I was informed that I could canter them until such time that we lost privileges.  I was a little under powered the first time around, but he didn't get rushy.  He did take the lack of actual jumps into his own hands and decided the flower boxes were excuse enough to tuck his knees, he was lovely and landed on each lead we wanted though!

Wheee flowers

Magical map

We started over the oxer finished over the vertical.  Well the next time through I slipped into gallop position (damn you racehorses) and he threw his head in the air to charge at the jump poles on the ground.  We were relegated to trot.  The jumps then went up to actual jumps, ranging from 2' to 2'9" and we were able to do a mix of cantering and trotting (each on their own as opposed to the famous gait called a tranter).  I had to stay committed to riding straight and if he rushed just kind of letting him get in deep and figure it out.  By the end of the lesson we were straight and he was jumping really well, we were keeping enough pace that he didn't feel the need to rush and I could soften over the jumps.

More mess than magical

The course was really fun to ride, sorry that map is such a cluster.

Early in the lesson, this was eventually an oxer

Before we got straight and soft

Yay release and neck

Lets just look at him and not me

We talked about how I could get him around a novice right now and we would get the job done.  That said he would be fried and our shots at moving up and really unlocking his potential and talent would be slim.  So we talked about where our holes are and what work I can do (get our progress on the flat to transfer to the jumps).  I am happy to take my time and really teach him how to do what we are doing and to understand his body.  For myself I have got to stay committed to riding him the best that I can and not reverting into 'giterdone mode.  It is an easy place to go, especially on a game horse.  I've ridden so many rejects/problems/etc that that ability to get the horse from point a to point b over a jump and around a course is deeply ingrained.  I've been that person for people who need their horses to 'getoverit, the problem is I didn't get to balance that out riding quality horses or trained horses or in lessons.  I am really enjoying the opportunity to improve my riding and take things to the next level.

Thomas the lesson cat giving me some loves #imissmypatcat