Alloted Rides of the Week

Since the lease, I only "get" to ride 2 days a week. I use air quotes because he is my horse and can ride him as much as I want, but since the purpose of this lease was to give me more time to work/study, I only ride 1-2 days a week.

I rode yesterday and today. Sunday was my last day of last week and today was my first day of this week...if that makes any sense.

I had a magically fantastical dressagey ride yesterday.

Video evidence. (I know watching other people ride can be uber yawn, but if you know anything about OTTBs you know that getting them to this point basically warrants throwing a party. I have been on cloud 9 since yesterday, knowing that my baby is FINALLY an adult ponyface and can do dressage like a real boy. So watch dammit.)

I was going to edit out his AWFUL W-C transition to the right, but I opted not to so that ya'll can see our major issue...relaxation. If he gives me a transition like that, I bring him back down as calmly as possible, ask him to relax in the neck/body ( usually works with itty bitty lateral movement and half halt) and ask him again. This one was a fail...like 4 times. But our simple lead changes were boss. And his trot work was phenominal. NEVER has he felt that relaxed...ever.

Pictorial evidence.

Look at the wonderous free walk. I see more 9s in my future.

Loose, free, active trot FTW!

Ok this extended trot is a little less winning...he could be a more underneath himself and not on the forehand. This is what we work on (through half halts) when we do the exT.

This is a bit better. I LOVE how he is finally getting lighter on his front end and not running through the exT movement. STILL could be more engaged behind, but better. (notice my position too, no more crouchy. I-I-I-I work out:))

I love this picture. To me, this is the epitome of relaxed pony and some self carriage going on. Floppy ears and tail, engaged hind end and free strides. LOVE LOVE LOVE

Some shitty pictures of our non-shitty canter work!

I dont think I need to even explain how boss Yankee is :D

And yes, I am bragging. But only because I feel we have had nothing to brag about in the past. We've only just been OK and mediocre. I feel like he finally NAILED our dressage work. Hopefully it continues!!

Today, it was 67 degrees so I thought it'd be sweet to do some gallops. Our gallops were restricted to canters because of mud, but it was still nice to get out.

Yankee says, "herro girl human on my back. Can we run now preese?"

Mizzou, represent.

He was aight. Still wanting to run, but I would just give him a half halt with that waterford bit and he listened. Good boy!

Video from my "helmet cam". I really like to pretend I have one for the sake of this blog. Galloping a TB with one hand can be....fun?

Jackie and Yankee looked pretty awesome here :) There are more of her and Yanks on my YouTube channel.

If you guys havent seen this and this its seriously HILARIOUS. And factual, I literally say all of those things. All the time.

 The "Stuff____ Say" is a new trend on youtube, in case you've been living under a rock, and they have one for pretty much everything, so I was pumped they had one for riders now too.

Happy...Monday.