Test Run

I decided to enter Twilight Dressage this upcoming Tuesday as a litmus test on whether or not I want to shell out the big bucks for Houghton. As such, I cleared the indoor of all obstacles this morning and did our first full run through of 3-1 in apporximately eight million years.

Yesterday he felt relaxed and supple, but I didn't do much real work....because the day before that we spent an hour and a half working solely on the flying changes. It was typical carnage. The simple changes held much promise, but I tapped him once with the whip when he continued to be lazy and either trot through them or be late behind which naturally set of the histrionics. Ironically I ended up asking him for the change from E to B and vice versa and got a clean one each direction back to back. Apparently they're powered by rage. 

This morning he was feeling a little lazy in the trot, but went bigger when I asked and I think I've got a good warm up figured out to save both of us enough for a test. The canter, however, required a lot of fixing. Even to the right which is generally his stronger direction was eight million c/w transitions and not a single one was on the bit. To the left we had to do a lot of counter canter because the left lead has been dreadful lately. Fortunately I know how to make the counter canter really good thanks to DL and it improved the gait some. A few half passes and shoulder in also got it where it needed to be. 

We did a couple turns on the haunches that--dare I say--are getting pretty good, and then picked up the sitting trot to start the test.

He's been kind of a wiggly dick about halting lately, but we came up center line and he immediately perked up. It was actually kind of adorbs. Halt at X was square, immobile, and never came off the bit. Sir was like, "It's been a year, lady, but I know this game!"

SI both ways was supple and easy--thank you for the never ending drilling, DL, lol. Half pass was a little sticky which I was thankful for because it ended up taking us the correct amount of time to get to the rail. Knock on wood for this as well, but the medium trot is so easy to sit lately. Again, DL's influence.

Then the halt at A was a mess. I had to haul him to a stop which made his head come up which made him mad, and then he wanted to sneak in the fifth step when we only need four. Extended walk good. We did the TOH twice because the first time was just a bit sloppy and I knew he could do better without getting pissed. 

Canter depart was YUCK. He went right into the medium canter and super easily came right back, but the 10m circle was sloppy and he broke to the trot at X for the change. Whatever, I just asked for the new lead and carried on. Extended canter good, 10m circle better, and I kept him bent left coming across the diagonal until we'd safely crossed X and asked for the change--WHICH HE THEN GAVE ME NO DRAMA CLEAN AS A WHISTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was like, "OMG YAY GOOD BOY BIG PATS LOTS OF SCRATCHES YAYAYAYAY OOPS THERE'S C WE NEED TO TROT GOOD BOY!!!!!!!"

Extended trot fine, center line fine. He got tons of pats, a candy, and a stretch break after that. For my part it was just a sloppy, sloppy ride. Zero half halts to be seen, hands all over, zero mental prep, sloppy. 

So after his break I picked him back up to the sitting trot and just went around until we were both steadier in the contact. Then we did a bunch of halts and rein backs at A--four steps, not five, I know you can count so get the count right, sir. 

Overall, in the next couple of rides we need to work on the halt rein back, the canter departs, and HALF HALTING EVERYWHERE. But in general I don't feel as dismal about showing in front of the public as I thought I was going be.

He gets tomorrow off, and our lesson is Friday.