Sunday Funday

 

So... today, instead of going hacking with Jamie and Sharon at Charlie Elliot, I decided to ride with Kelli at Ashland. Partly because I didn't want to mess up Jamie's pacing practice and partly because I wanted to do some dressage too. Although I am sad about missing the Wisteria blooms. Maybe they'll still be there when I can get there!

I was trying to get there early so Dan and I could trot the gallop track and do some hills but we only managed early enough to walk up the XC hill once, trot down the long side, and then trot up the hill again. But, better than nothing. 

We then met Kelli in the arena and did some work. He was a very good boy. He felt really good but also not good. He felt a bit "skippy" today at times, especially when we went from tracking right to tracking left. A few steps on asymmetry. Almost like he was trying to get a foot off the ground quicker. Sigh... No tongue, but..he was a bit fussier in the bridle. Chewing. I couldn't tell if he was just chompy or if he was trying to figure out how to get his tongue out and couldn't?! Although at the end of our ride I noticed that his bridle had rubbed his chin, so.. maybe that's why he was fussy? 

We did have some good work though. He was pretty happy and really responsive to my seat aids and got fairly good "sit" for where we're at right now. And off my seat aids. He also felt really soft in the contact. Kelli mentioned it may be because of the jump bridle being an elevator, but... I think he was just really soft. He was on such a loose rein... not like cranked in or anything. And he felt pretty happy to go to the good place with his neck position. And his trot felt good when it didn't feel asymmetric. The canter work was pretty decent too. We even did a few shallow serpentines and worked on our transitions. We still struggle with the upward, especially on the left lead, but that's kind of always been an issue. 

So.. yeah, I don't know. Afterwards we headed out for a hack. We hit the lake so they could drink and splash and then headed out. Kelli made a comment about me getting on Marvin to feel what she was feeling so after he splashed, I got on Marvin and she walked Dan. Marvin led... and we got to the field with the bit of gallop track and Marvin picked up the trot. So.. we trotted a few loops so that I could feel him out. Dan didn't get too upset apparently. Good boy. Then I got back on him and we headed towards Halfshire and then went back through the healing place. So we got a little bit of hills. 

And earlier today I let them all in the middle field to eat some grass, so they were happy campers! It's so buggy out there though!