Fantabulous Return

Chewie is HOME HOME HOME! I'm sooo happy to see his big red bum in the pasture. =)

Watched the trainer ride yesterday (videotaped the whole event). She had some pretty amazing control, but he was still fussing about rein pressure. Every time he'd drop his head & bend at the poll, she'd loosen up pressure on the inside rein, and scratch halfway up his neck, telling "good boy, good boy". Good canter, good trot.

Then it was my turn. We changed tack, so everything was "normal for me". My saddle, my bit, my "stuff". Climbed on, and just a few strides at walk, and it felt different. Actually felt like he was moving slower, but the trainer kept saying he was over-tracking at the walk. That's awesome, and abnormal, he wasn't doing that when I left him there. Asked for trot, and it felt springie! Don't really know how else to describe it. I've been riding the western jog for so long, it absolutely felt bouncy to ride what felt like a good trot (watched it on video, he was tracking up, and that's the first time in months I've felt comfortable riding that). I tried doing what the trainer did, wiggling inside rein, then when he'd give & stretch, reach up & scratch his neck. Also got a lesson on how to ask for leg yield. I got him to yield & move over, and that's one of the neatest feelings he's got right now. It feels like he just shifts himself over.... about a foot at a time. Really cool feeling.

Okay, neater yet, if "neater" is a word, is his canter. Trainer got me all psyched up for it, and kept insisting "if he scares you, just exhale, and he will slow to a trot, I promise he won't do anthing bad. just sit back, and get ready for him to feel uphill. it's just how he moves, he's not trying to hurt you." Scared the snot out of me.

So I "braced up", mentally got ready for it, came out of a corner in the arena, and asked. No "outside leg back", no weird balance shifts. Just squeeze calves & kiss a little. Nothing (!) like he had before, where I had to shift weight, pull his head one way or another, and fight myself for it. It used to be a HUGE pain to get him in it. He picked up the wrong lead, which I didn't even notice at first. Trainer said "Slow him down, wrong lead, just exhale." And that was all it took. I just let out a huge breath, and back to trot. He didn't try to walk, he didn't halt, just trot (again, that's new... he used to pick up wrong lead to try & scare me, then go straight to walk or halt, again, scaring the snot out of me). I let him have about a quarter circle at trot, and asked again. Right lead! And Holy Snot! It's the slowest canter I've ever ever ridden. Is he perfectly balanced & bending at the poll? No. Is he low-necked & nose out "breed hunter"? Nope! He's just kinda moving his whole body, but it was soo easy to sit. I've NEVER been able to comfortably sit his canter. I'd always tense up & get really tight in my thighs, and he'd just go faster & faster & , you get the idea. Lesson over.... I didn't push for both directions, and left it at "perfectly satisfied he cantered without a lot of fuss, and didn't try to take off."

Today, back at the house, to prove to myself he wasn't just behaving for the trainer's eyes, I did it all again. Same thing. He refused the first couple times I asked for leg yield, then finally cooperated (which the trainer said he'd do - she said there would be days he would refuse to leg yield, and the solution is to kick him & make him do it. she said "he knows how, but he'll make sure you really want it."). Got lots of yields, good good trot, more stretch down (in fact, more than the trainer got, but I'mnot too surprised. He knows his Momma, and he knows what I want, so it wasn't surprising he'd give. What surprised me is he kept tracking up, with a good big trot. I was really surprised he flexed his neck & head, and still kept up good pace. Asked for canter, and it was still amazing. For the first time, ever, I felt each step of the canter. I could feel his legs moving up under him. I've never had him under control so well I could feel legs. Never! We finished off our workout with a long walk down the road, again, hunter saddle, "on the buckle of the reins", and he was low-neck, and perfectly mellow. I was absolutely amazed. I'm used to him being jittery & silly on the road, so calm & quiet was much appreciated.

So I'm satisfied. I know he isn't perfect, and I didn't expect perfect. But I have "homework", and I see the benefits of the last month. I've got good video of her riding, and more video of my own lesson. I know what to work on, for him, and for me. He learned enough to teach me now, and that's what we needed. I'm not confident enough to teach him, so this is the right way to go - send him to somebody to teach him, then let him teach me. :)

*cheers all* Chewie is happy back home, and so's his momma! :)
-Jennifer