Fun in Freedom

     Last Friday I was out at the barn again. Kenda picked me up from home since my parents were working and I had to catch up on some sleep. This is why I love planning days on Friday, riding is always the perfect way to kick off a good weekend. I chose Malachi first off and he was really hyped up. I'm guessing it was the cold front that really made him excited but I also think he was relieved to finally get out again. I could tell he was a tad nervous when I dissapeared into the tack room to grab the unknown saddle. I think he's content with learning to jump, but I know he loves the quieter more connectable discipline of dressage most. He was super focused that day.

     We started out like we normally do, there were some quarter-line jumps on long side by B that he kept eying, but after some encouragement he was calm. Malachi likes his day planned out. I lengthened my stirrups a hole so I could work on my lower leg swinging. When I trot, Malachi takes lots and lots of leg to keep him at an even pace, to keep him on the bit, and to make sure he's steering correctly. The longer my stirrups are, the more my legs tend to swing as I struggle to balance. He is very hard for balancing in the saddle because he's got such a giant stride. I've tried those leg blocks, and even those make it harder for me to use my calves. This is only bad when I'm posting. We're fine in the sitting trot which is coming along nicely.

     Friday I introduced the leg-yielding in trot and it did not take long before this horse was confident and even in his strides. He was supple and working with the bit rather than against it. This was a huge step in the right direction for him - for the both of us.

     Sunday I rode him again in the dressage saddle and he was even better than Friday. I was told to "work his ass off," by Kenda because he escaped from the property Saturday night. He ate an entire bale of peanut hay and half a bag of grain NOT including all of the dipped beet pulp and alfalfa pellets. He destroyed part of the fence line and when he was caught the round pen boards suffered considerably. So I did as I was told even though he was great. We worked pretty heavily in the canter. His left lead was fantastic, my seat was solid and his pace was perfect. He was better than usual going right. Malachi did pick the lead up wrong at first, but he recovered himself and pushed through the circle. I couldn't really get myself established because he was running rather than cantering, but it was all well after he did complete a correct twenty meter circle. I was proud of him so I got off and gave the boy a good hose and a dozen treats.

     The best part of this weekend was the serenity of autumn. It made our rides more consistent and joyful because of the coolness of the air. I believe that the weather makes him feel as if he can enjoy his rides more because he won't be overheated. I'd love to show him soon with his great progress and hopefully win a couple more blues.