We actually made some progress yesterday! Well, progress might be too strong of a word. What I really mean is that it was dry enough to hack out in the grass ring. Henry was actually nice and forward and gave me some good canter work. We’ve been working a lot on adjustability (as in lengthening or shortening within ONE stride of when I ask, not within five or six or twenty) and better balance in small turns, and slowly but surely he’s getting it. He has a tendency to want to carry his haunches to the right, too, which we’re chipping away at day by day. Some days bigger and better chips than others, but even a little bit counts.

There was also a pole laying right along the rail track, so I took the opportunity to practice one of my old (beloved) trainer’s favorite exercises, which I dubbed The Countdown. Basically you’re trying to tune your eye by getting a feel for how many strides away from the pole you are. You start at one, and when you’re one stride away from the pole you say one. Then two, at two strides away you countdown two-one. Then three, at three strides away you countdown three-two-one. Then four strides away, then five strides away, so on and so on all the way up to 8. The key is that you can’t change the rhythm to MAKE your strides fit, you have to let it happen and see if your eye was correct. I’ve found that I’m really good up until 5, then pretty hit-or-miss after that. The very first time I did this exercise several years ago I was pretty hopeless past 3 or 4, so at least I’ve gained a stride somewhere along the way. I envy those people that can lock onto a jump 8 strides out and see exactly where they are. I am not one of them. What are some of your favorite go-to exercises to spice up your flatwork?

The only other semi-exciting thing that happened yesterday was that I sent in my entries for the show next weekend. We’re officially committed to the 3′ jumpers plus a double header on Saturday night of the Hunter Derby and the Jumper Classic. It’ll my first Derby as well as Henry’s first Derby, so I’m just hoping to not make any huge stupid mistakes. But yay for getting to wear my shadbelly! Plus since it’s his first time at “real” 3′, I really just want him to jump around confidently and have a good experience. He is such a simple horse that it’s easy to forget how green he really is, and that this will only be his 5th show. But I’m hoping that with no plans of grandeur or trying anything super ambitious, these are all easily met goals. Fingers crossed that going back and forth from the jumper ring to the hunter ring to the jumper ring is as easy for him as I think it will be.

Here is where I should probably explain Henry’s biggest idiosyncrasy: he is very fussy in the mouth. When I first got him I tried just about every bit imaginable but he was just tense, chompy, unhappy, and wanted to go around with his nose stuck to his chest. Some bits were more successful than others (a Happy Mouth mullen caused a borderline meltdown, yet a twisted dee was semi-successful – go figure) but he’s just not super happy about any of them. I finally gave up and moved him to a mechanical hackamore, and now he goes in a simple leather sidepull. He’s a lot more relaxed and obviously much happier. He still does have a tendency to get overflexed, but it’s not nearly as bad in a hackamore as it was in a bit. There’s nothing quite like cantering to a jump with your horse’s nose on his chest, hoping he sees it. Not fun.

Unhappy Henry in a bit (and actually one of the more successful bits, believe it or not)

Happiest Henry, wearing nothing at all

We did have decent success with that twisted dee, in that the first time I rode in it (for a derby themed lesson) he was actually pretty darn good. But the next day he was sorta fussy so I ultimately put him back in the hackamore and we decided to just reserve the bit for derbies, when he had to wear one. Our hope is that if we only use it very sparingly he will go around happily enough for the actual class. Next weekend we will get to exercise that theory. I hope we’re right.

No pictures from today but I did get a sorta entertaining video of Henry and his turnout buddy Red playing. After two days stuck inside because of the mud, I think they were just happy to get out. You have to admire Red’s very athletic play/roll/rear/buck/run technique, and Henry’s “MOM HELP ME, I’M OUT HERE WITH A LUNATIC” at the end.