13 rides ago: (1 month)

and today: note the reach of the hindlegs, the lengthening (and muscling!) at the base of his neck and the freedom of his shoulders.. Also the lack of breaking @ the 3rd vertebra - I try to "even out" his neck. He has a dip in front of his withers and was taught to break at the 3rd, stick the middle of his neck at you, and brace underneath. It is getting much bette.! Check out the length of his back behind the saddle - he's finally coming through from behind better - no dip behind the saddle, and he's shortening his frame behind the saddle while lengthening it from the withers to the poll - success! 

Finally! A really crappy video! Just what you all wanted, right? Sorry it's so spectacularly crappy, The fencepost was my tripod and between you and me, he ain't as good as he thinks he is. So, here's what's shakin'...

Today was just a stretchy trot day, with a bit of canter thrown in. His hunter canter that came with him was very flat, on the forehand, and runny. Runny like a broken egg. So I've been just doing small amounts with lots of transitions, to get him stronger and able to have more jump and freedom of his shoulders. It's really coming along - today was the first time where I asked him to canter, he did without fuss, and he settled right down and gave me somewhere comfy to sit. I could half halt a bit, slow down, and go forward without losing the jump or the swing in his back. He is like a jackhammer when he locks you out of his back!

His lateral work is coming, we didn't do a whole ton today, like I said it was a stretchy day. I'll try to get some actual schooling footage this week sometime, where you can actually follow along and see what we're up to.

Any questions, feel free to ask!
(and I realize he gets quite low/too round sometimes - it's the price you pay for trying to make them toooo supple. I know I can always bring him up for schooling and I don't mind making him loosey goosey and risking him getting a bit BTV sometimes - it's not ideal but that's life. All the horses I see ridden up and in front of the vertical are stiffer than 2 x 6' planks and never through or supple.) As long as I am not intentionally riding him this round and this low on purpose, I am ok with it. Stretchy work can get a bit like this until they are strong enough to remain totally supple AND out/in front of the bit + long/low. But this is why I video myself - so I can be aware of this kind of thing. Now I know that I have to be a little more careful sometimes with his nose during a stretch.

Also, his funny blaze can make him look like he's a little more BTV than he actually is.