Since the Clover Valley show, I have done a lot of trail riding. Reason being, I am starting school again this Wednesday and I will not be able to go out on the trails as much so I figured I could do trails now and then ring work until the dressage show.
The day after Clover Valley, I went for a bareback trail ride. It started out bad. He was hyped up and was ready to explode. I worked him through it and got an amazing trot. Neck round, body coiled on underneath himself, engaging his hind end, straight, and slow. Couldn't have asked for any better! I tried to get a canter, couldn't get it, so worked some more at the trot. On our way home, we went through a field and I asked him again for the canter and got six strides of the most amazing canter I have ever ridden on any horse. Same as the trot, he was round throughout his body, pushing with his hind end, and there was so much lift and suspension with his front end! It was AMAZING! It was so slow and comfy! I'm not sure how long it will be until I get that canter again but boy it was nice!
Mom and I went to Hobby Horse for a few trail rides. We did lots of trotting with walking breaks. In the fields we knew well, we cantered. His canter on the trails gets fast and strung out easily because I usually let him open up. Not anymore though. I need to break that habit.
We did lots of hill work, circles, turns, etc. Yesterday I went to a part of the trails where I knew there would be some small fallen over logs and we jumped those. He was super and jumped everything I pointed him at! we went back to the derby field and did some dressage work and I got a gorgeous trot out of him for an entire long side of the field. We then went up to the indoor and I popped him over a very large cross rail twice. I though he was going to refuse but he surprised me and went right over it! the first time he plopped over it so I was more forward to it the second time and we cantered out. I called it a day, untacked, then took him for a swim. There was a photographer there and he got some pics of us that I will try to find.
This week we are going to look at a jog cart for Jet so we can drive him. It is from someone we know and is very reasonably priced! Fingers crossed!
-Em and Jet
