A few good rides

I didn't do much with the ponies this week.  It snowed (like 5inches!!!!) Wed/Thurs and I wasn't motivated enough to ride after dealing with having to make it into work both days.  I rode Bud on Friday and boy was he lazy!  He had a week off because of his eye, but it looks perfectly fine now!  The cavalettis were set up in the arena and I thought popping him over those would perk him up.  It didn't.  We hacked around for about 20 mins and called it a day.

I lunged both Phoenix and Zoe on Friday.  Zoe had a fit about being in side reins, but she got over it.  Watching her move is interesting.  She likes to throw her hip in and crossfire behind while cantering. It's a pleasure horse thing; cocking their hips in helps them slow down and get that herky-jerky lope.  Zoe has it, but hopefully we'll work that out of her.

Saturday the 4H girl rode Phoenix.  She's still trying to decide if she wants to lease him; she'll ride him a few more times this week and make a decision.  There were some trot poles and a tiny tiny x-rail set up and she took him over the poles.  He plodded over them without a problem!  I asked if she wanted to take him over the x, and she said she was too nervous so I hopped on him and did it.  He was perfect!  Trotted up to it quietly, and cantered away nicely.  It was his first jump in close to 2yrs. 

Today I rode Bud and Zoe.  I put Bud back in the German martingale and he had a lot more pep than he did on Friday!  We had a nice forward ride with some really good trot-canter-trot transitions.  We also did some nice counter canter and a flying change each direction. 

Such a cute pony!

With Zoe, I worked on getting her to go forward, and started asking for some bending.  She's not too happy with me having contact with her mouth; she's used to having a loose rein even going English. For her canter, I'm trying to keep my hands up and encourage her to drive from behind.  If I let her, she tends to 4 beat in the canter, and it feels like her hind end isn't connected to her front.  I had a couple good strides of canter today where she felt connected.  Since she's out of shape I'm only asking for a few strides at a time.