Every ride a lesson... a recurring theme

Yes, a recurring theme with a schoolmaster -- always learning. Blu inspires great confidence in me -- so much so that I can let go and listen to what he is telling me. Here is his latest tale:

So we rode in clinic with this young Canadian-American who has been training in Germany the past few years with an individual I greatly admire. So when an open slot in her clinic at our farm opened I took it. Lesson 1: never put money out for a lesson unless you have seen the clinician teach. It just was not pretty. In fact, it was the most miserable ride I have had on Blu and I am including all those really tough rides we had while he was lame. I was pretty clear about our combined history but for some reason it did not seem to resonate with her. She pushed both of us to places we just should not have gone. She wanted more bend from Blu than his body is ready to give. He balked, he swapped his leads at the canter and he bucked every time I pushed at him! She even asked if he did this to me on a regular basis and when I laughed and replied "NO" she did not back off. So it was a very unproductive and expensive lesson from the standpoint that we really got nothing good done. I did learn lesson 2: it is OK to ask for more but do not ask for too much.

Every ride I learn something new

What a terrific ride last night. I took a lesson and got my butt kicked ... in a good way. Blu is feeling oh so good and we did a lot of work on developing the quality of the trot... asking for more lift ... the feeling of passage without passaging. My warm up was very good and by the time Linda arrived we were ready to go. He was loose and fairly supple. I have a hard time judging how straight he is behind so with her guidance I was able to ride him straight and really concentrated on keeping the bend around my inside leg... this is the toughest thing for me to do. By the end of the trot tour Linda said we were really dancing together -- half passing, leg yielding, shoulder-in. What a nice thought ... wish I could have seen it. I did not look in the mirrors... I was too busy concentrating :-)

We then went to work at the canter. While I have always thought of this canter as my "go-to" gait it is now not his best. I do not mean to make it sound like a train wreck. It is still very good it is just that his trot has come such a long way. So my job is to get that suppleness, straightness and lift at the canter. We worked at it and it improved dramatically soooooooo..... we then worked on quarter turns at the canter placing Blu back on his haunches, canter/ walk transitions and then... drum roll ..... working canter pirouettes!!! I felt my first real canter pirouette!!!! WOW... It was awesome. When Linda asked me to do it I was dumbfounded. My mind went blank and I thought "Is she talking to me???" She definitely does not let you move ahead until you are ready so off we went to give it our best. The first one was a bit all over the place but the second was spot on! It was like Blu was saying to me, "Finally she got it right"... He is such a hoot. After that he got lots of praise and hugs but all he really wanted was the sugar in my pocket!!! Several people were in the ring and watched the scene unfold. All stopped to say how wonderful he was... Linda piped in that she thought I gave him a wonderful ride :-) It was a shadbelly ride for sure!

Making strides...

Everyday is a new day and it is better than the last. Big Blu is having some fun with his new feet, swinging happy back, loads of treats and a as much second cut as he can eat. His muscling has changed dramatically... I have to take a picture soon and according to the experts -- my vet, farrier and trainer... there is more to come.

Last Saturday on a cold and blustery day after two days off due to some of my business travel, I took Blu out for a hack with my friend Sandra and her amazing mare Flaine. They got along famously. She did not mind him walking in close proximity either by her side or up her rear end. She watched him as he piaffed and passaged in the fields and when she did not feel quite secure passing something she let him go first. Such a smart mare and such a brave Blu! Never once did he tell me "no" or not listen to me. He crossed small foot bridges, passed by horses in open fields, circumvented large cross country obstacles and walked up and down some pretty good size hills.

The day after a hack is always the best day because he is so up and forward. I had beautiful work in all gaits -- swinging, forward and just plain fun.

We also took another lesson and he was even better than the last. My trainer got on him to feel his ride and she proclaimed him to be a $1m horse. I already knew that :-)