Sunrise Ride

So my plan is to ride before work so that I can actually catch daylight. As I’m not a morning person, this has always been the “good idea that never happens”. I finally made it happen, and it was an awesome way to start the day! Got out to the barn by 6:15 and was leaving by 7:45 with plenty of time to shower in the office gym before starting work at 8:30. I feel very accomplished for even making that all work, let alone have a good ride!

Our second ride went much better. Less distractions + more daylight = better focus. We warmed up with exercises at the walk to change the bend back and forth, serpentines, circles, etc until she was really low and round in the next. Then after warming up at the trot and canter we tried our walk trot transitions with that same bending idea to try to keep a low and round connection in the upward transition. We got some success, and I felt good that it was a step in the right direction for her to understand what I’m asking for: more round, more down, ALL THE TIME!

I am very excited about our dressage lesson tomorrow. I think Stacie will help us remember what we’ve both forgotten. I have grown a ton as a rider this last year, but have been working with a very different type of horse! She’s come leaps and bounds in her training and body strength in the last year, but has been ridden by a very different type of rider.

I don’t think it will be long before we’re back to the success (on the bit and relaxed in the back) that we had at the end of last year. Then I think I’ll get to start to enjoy some of the experience that she’s been building up, especially over fences!