Riding
Awareness of the outside world. More time to consider the outside world; less energy to cope with it.
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Jump schooling two weekends in a row!
Kept in mind the ideas from last time. [Back Into The Ring]
One. Do not buy into his anxiety. A slow start to schooling does not mean the entire day is doomed.
Two. Be clear and certain about path and pace.
At the beginning, Rodney was in a good place physically, but mentally wired, which was a weird feeling for both horse and rider.
Lots of trot poles.
He started to get concerned, almost as if he was anticipating the questions becoming harder and harder. (… and harder and harder and it’s going to be impossible and I won’t able to do it and … and … The only one I know who can get spun up from a standing start as fast as Rodney is me.)
A walk break does not help. Had to do trot circles to get him actively thinking about something else. Coach Courtney calls this ‘changing their brain.’ [In Which We Learn Things]
We ended with a short course of tiny jumps. Crossrail from last week, pole and tiny vertical for a quasi-related distance, second tiny vertical. Two trips.
He actually relaxed once we got to the course. ‘Oh, this is the question of the day? Okay, I can do this.’
Did a cute little jumper turn at a trot the second time around. He can dump momentum if I cut the turn too tight on the flat. This time he whipped (metaphorically) around.
A little hop over last that felt like him showing off. Good Pony!
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The plan was to take advantage of the long weekend and go back on a second time. Didn’t happen. [Bored]
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
Good boy!
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