So, Tuesday evening I schooled him with a view to going to MK on Wed. Was really pleased with how he went, shoulder-in on a circle in trot really coming on and engaging him so well so improving the work that follows it. Even managed a little on the right rein and left rein he seems to be finding easy. Really making myself concentrate on riding more from the outside aids on the left rein and not having excessive inside bend.
MK was a wash out. It rained heavily all night, I got up at the crack of dawn and was at the yard just after 5.30am but it was freezing, torrential rain and high winds. I knew it would be pointless to take him and didn't want to risk him on bad ground so went back home to bed.
Thur did some schooling but the winds were fierce, nearly blowing me off and he wasn't relaxing or concentrating so despite an hour of trying to get him to behave I had to give in in the end.
Fri went for a hack on the ranges and he was wild as usual. Did a 4-5min canter along the top down to the end in a strong hand canter which was fine. Turned round, walked for a couple of mins then picked up canter again and he just got faster and faster and the more he got away from my nice controlled hand canter the more he knew he was away from me. He can sure shift when he wants to and he still wasn't going flat out as I was still trying to pull him up. Came round the corner and found Helen and Ty and nearly ran them over. Had to slam the anchors on - pain in the arse horse! Far too full of life. Am cutting his Power&Performance down by half as of today - he has far too much energy and since the grass came through has gained quite a bit of wt too!
Yesterday was another wash-out.
More schooling today - even our school is starting to hold water now with standing water at both ends - this is unheard of as the school is on a slight slope and normally drains amazingly. Really pleased with him tonight. Despite it being a bit windy he really concentrated. There was another horse in the arena which I think made us up our game a bit. Did a bit of counter canter on both reins, some canters to walk and walk to canter (remaining on same rein), some trot leg yields which he needs to relax in so he can move sideways more easily as it's all a bit tight at the moment - I think he can do it, he just tenses so need to try and keep it easy for him. Trot SI down the long side still a bit wobbly but not too bad. Rein back and then forwards to trot/canter on both reins was nice and some nice medium walk really into the contact with no head nodding. Canter spirals in and then out and forwards on the left rein. Missed these completely on the right rein as he finds so much harder but must remember to at least do a little right rein work on these just keep it a bit easier. Finished with going to ask to stretch a little deeper in left rein trot which I did by lifting my hands and asking for flexion and actually he came really soft so I played around a little bit like this, changed onto the right rein and had him much more into both reins and much softer which felt good! Then let him have a lovely stretch down on the right rein and he really took the neck round and soft - lovely! Might try the higher hands earlier in the session on Tuesday and see if I can get him softer and more through like that earlier in the session or if it just felt so good as it was at the end of the session.
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