Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Peebs

Between being NQR and me on vacation, the Peebs got an almost three week vacation.  I don't think he minded tho.  We had the chiro out last week and he was very out and dropped on his right side.  Our homework is lots of neck stretches, both on the ground and under saddle, as well as counter canter.  The Peebs is not thrilled.

He did make a new friend

We had our first lesson, and first jump school, since our show last month.  I had absolutely zero expectations and was prepared for a wild pony.  Peebs did jump a bit enthusiastically into our warm up line, but after a pulley rein stop he settled down and was great.

This is what we do while waiting for the chiro

We worked on keeping our right bend coming into the line.  He really loves to counter bend going right and I have to be diligent about holding the right bend all the way to the base of the jump. I tend to let go a stride or two out and he'll flip his bend and float his haunches right. Our drifting haunches is going to be our biggest issue. Going left, he'll do the same, especially if I get nervous and hold his mouth too much.  We trotted the skinny barrel below, a fence I have hated for years and as soon as I got nervous and picked at him, his haunches swung right.  Phoenix stopped at the barrel years ago and I fell off, hitting the visor of my helmet on it and the whole front of my helmet cracked.  I was fine, physically, but have had a hang up about it since. Also, that was the last time I wore a Troxel.

The Peebs don't care

At least his haunches-going-right-when-I-get-nervous-and-pick thing is a good way for me to remember to let go and relax.  We'll just see how much I actually can relax!  Trainer and I also discussed having her do some rides on him, to help reinforce the straightness and bend issues we've been having.  I know I can fix it myself, but mentally it'd help me to see her on him and it never hurts to put a pro on your pony now and then.  Hopefully we'll manage to sneak in a lesson/ride in the few days between her vacation and my next one.