Weekend Review

Does anyone else have a hard time coming up with titles?  Why is that so hard?  There's only so many times I can name a post "Catching Up."  Anyhoo...

Last week I rode once thanks to crappy rain.  Oh maybe that should be my title, "It Never Stops Freaking Raining!"  So Saturday I rode baby Monster for the first time since last Saturday.  I was home alone so I was sure to give him some extra time in the lunge.  He ran and bucked so much I seriously questioned  my sanity for considering riding him.  But on I went.  He was so good too.  Oh and it was cold (and by cold I mean FL cold so low 60s versus 80s) and windy.  Then the neighbor started shooting their cannon aka rifle.  He shot forward for about 3 strides then came right back to me.  I was really proud of him.  Nothing new on his training.  For the next months we will continue to focus on riding in front of my leg, bending, and stretching into the bit.  He is better each ride and even with a week off I felt like he picked right back up.  He is moving forward nicely to the left.  To the right he starts sluggish but is getting the hang of it.  What I do is I give lots of leg and cluck, driving him forward.  Since he is better to the left I do figure eights every few times around and work to maintain the pace.  I keep a dressage whip on him so I can give a tap when he decides it's time to stop.  Anytime he tries to make a "let's take a break" decision he gets several more laps until I say it's ok to stop.  And also with babies it's important to stop in different places and never near the gate.  You don't want them getting gate sour or associating a certain place in the ring with stopping.  I am also working with him on standing quietly.  Since his favorite word is whoa he does this well but his 4 yo brain gets bored and he fidgets after awhile.  That's ok.  As long as he improves a bit each time.  He is actually stands perfectly still for mounting and dismounting now.  These may seem like small things but this is what will contribute to him being a well behaved citizen down the road.  

Poppy has been good too.  We didn't jump this weekend due to the ground being so wet.  I could have done some little stuff but I really didn't feel like she needed it.  The next round of rain comes Wednesday so I will try to get a jump school in by then.

Two and a half weeks until our next AA show!