I learn so much I can blog for two days!

I did some cross country schooling on in the field today. I had only ever done grids with her, which require no steering or rating of pace, so doing a course was a bit of an adjustment. It became very obvious to me where my weaknesses are, mostly my leg and the still present tense arm. I’m starting to get really frustrated by that bad habit; I just don’t have a lot of experience riding horses that allow a rider to have a soft arm. Runoff does though, so hopefully I can relax on her and let her draw my hand forward over fences, as well as in general. Also had a moment where I went to bring shoulders back as a way to balance her, and shorten her stride and was reminded that her neck is longer than my upper body.

Ami did grid work after Runoff jumped around the cross country field. I was very bound and determined to not be told my leg was slipping back, and I never heard that, so I guess the goals for that ride were accomplished. It’s much easier for me to wrap my leg around Ami’s flat side than Runoff’s round barrel. I’m trying really hard to do this soft, easy, not running the horse off its feet stuff, but then I don’t always get the horse really going and in Ami’s case she takes advantage of that and quits if I let her, so we did have one stop. I “solved” that by getting her quicker off the ground in the grid, not the correct solution, but she never thought of stopping again. So, where I didn’t hear “Lower leg is slipping back” on Ami, I did hear “We just need half that energy, next time” quite a few times.  It’s just a matter of finding the new balance in the slow, relaxed, marching pace and getting the job done when it seems iffy and not just going back to the strong-minded pony mentality of jumping.

 Riding Tommy has been interesting and fun. He isn’t scary, but riding him sort of reminds me of standing in front of a crowd to give a speech or presentation (except I actually look forward to riding him, unlike public speaking). Nothing bad ever really happens, and one ever got hurt , but it’s still nerve racking. He is really tense and inconsistent in his step and head carriage, doesn’t always move reliably off my leg, and seriously won’t relax. I still have a few moments where I think I should be last person on him, but I’m what is here so its going to get done.

As far as other news, Benson picked up a femur the other day, and chased a coyote over the hill and was gone four about ten minutes this morning. He came back in one piece, looking rather pleased with himself. I had asked Tom if I should bring the dogs in when I saw it in the hay field and they were in the pasture, and he said they should be fine. I think I'll just bring them in next time.

Ami gets to cross country school tomorrow. I'd say "Hopefully it goes well" but I know I need to say "It's going to go splendidly!" Then its off to Pullman for some time off from horses.