Hops and Trots

I rode Dickie again yesterday. It turned out great for various reasons. I don't plan on being on his back quite so often long term but it seemed important to make sure his lessons of last week really set in before he had a break. There are jumps in the arena the last half of the week so it was crowded and difficult to get a good lunge in. I decided to forgo much on that front. I want to start seeing how he will do without the midless circle game. It was ok during those first rides to make sure he was tired but we are moving into long term training mode and I need to start doing excercises that are sustainable for his maturing body.

Anyhoo, I did a super quick lunge and he was feeling fresh. He let out plenty of bucks and leaps but was tuned in to me so I decided to hedge my bets and get on. I was thrilled when as soon as I put let on he started walking. I still give him the voice command "Walk On" but I have found that he quickly transfers one cue for another so leg is already doing the trick. He coudl tell right off that he was going to be a little opinionated. We had the arena to ourselves but there were horses coming in and out of the hallway and his baby brain was having a hard time focusing. He really wanted to eat the jumps, visit with the mares on one side, talk to the geldings on the other, rear a little for the fun of it..... He gave me a few protest crow hops, kicks, and mini rears but nothing I couldn't handle. The beauty of a young horse with ADD is that they also forget what made them mad. At one point he really really really didn't want to go left and started to put up a fight then he forgot why he was made beause he saw my foot out of the corner of his eye and decided to taste it. I know it sounds weird but I acutaly feel better than we had some acrobatics. I haven't been on a naughty horse in a loooong time and am out of shape. I wasn't sure if I would remember what to do. I was so happy when my muscle memory took over. I am not as agile as I once was but apparently I still remember how to ride the young squirts.

I tried to trot him in the big arena but quickly deicded it was a bad idea. It was windy, I have limited breaks, he felt fresh, and there were jumps to run into everywhere. I still wanted to have a little trot so we went ot the round pen. It took him a couple tries to remember but we did it. His trot is still fairly tentative but started to open up. I really want to get a little more control so that I can do most of our trotting on straight lines in the arena or outside. For now though the round pen is a neccesary evil but I see us getting out of there and riding the proprety in the next two weeks or so. He gets a few days off for now so I can finish up this term at school Then it is all ponies all the time!!