Because of Course

Since I've put McKenna up for sale I've had the best rides on her yet.  I don't know if its because I feel like the pressure is off to make something of her, to get to a certain point, to show, and I'm feeling more relaxed or what but she's been awesome this past week.

Saturday we had a lesson/trainer ride while trying to get some video of her.  I opted to lunge her first, not that she's been wild, but because they were harvesting the grass seed fields across the street from the barn and wanted McKenna to get a look at the equipment.  She barley batted an eye.

Trainer got on her first and it was pretty ugly.  McKenna is very much a one woman type of horse and she was mad that mom wasn't riding her.  I was going to video but gave it up as she had short, choppy strides and was pretty resistant in her head and neck.  After 15 mins or so I got on and she immediately relaxed.  We just focused on going forward with a nice soft trot.  She was really nice going left, but more resistant right.  We did a little bit of canter then trainer wanted her to jump before she got too worked up.

Trainer said, after seeing the pics, that she needs a bigger fence to jump

We started with a crossrail and it was like the mare had jumped every day of her life.  Trotted up nice and quietly, popped over it no problem, and cantered away quietly.  I actually had to push her forward after the fence because she wanted to break after only a couple strides.  We did the crossrail a few times then trainer put it up to a little vertical.  We haven't done verticals since last summer and even though it was only 18" it seemed huge to me and I was sure she was going to turn into a fire breathing dragon and kill me in the process.

Trainer got on and the first time McKenna wanted to leap at it, but she made her wait and while McKenna wasn't exactly sure where to put her feet jumping close to the base, she did it.  She was good on the off side and cantered away quietly.  They did it a few more times, waiting for the close take off, and then I got back on. The first time thru I really didn't ride or help the mare, and she was unsure of what to do with her feet again but she went over anyways.  Second time over felt really, really nice; probably our best jump yet.  Never did she feel forward or explosive.  I was so, so happy.  Almost makes me reconsider selling her.  Almost.