Just because you are big and mean...

... Doesn't mean Im AFRAID OF YOU!

And it all started on Friday.  There we were in the arena... and we were riding pretty good.  My big boy wasn't listening to the outside aids, in fact he was flat out ignoring them.  So Im all "Sure, Ill just switch the whip and hold it on the outside shoulder..." So I did, and I flicked his shoulder to remind him he couldn't run through the circle...

and he got mad.

and madder.

and even more mad.

I was letting him have his face to sort of start over, and then I gathered the reigns up again and asked for collegtion and shoulder, and WHAM!

He rears up.  I sat the first two, no problem, but the third was more of a rear / twist thing, so in my mind Im thinking "Holy crap Im going down, make sure you fall on the good leg, not the bad leg,,, oh God not the bad leg!  So I release the face, so we won't flip, and shift my weight so I slide off to the side (the good leg side) and Biff right onto my hip. 

He just stood there like a triumphant idiot so I got up, grabbed my whip, got back in the saddle and schooled him again.  He must have known he did something naughty, because after I got back on, he was a lamb. 

Short lived, let me tell you.

This morning I went out to feed, and it had started to rain, so I got out his little rain sheet.  (Mr. Sensitive doesn't like to be cold).  He put his head through the hole, and I got all but one buckle done, and he came at me.  I mean, nostrils flaring, ears twitching, head swingin, rearing up and strikin the air at me.  I took a step back to keep my face in one piece, and then I let him have it.  I was jumpin up and down, screaming and charged him fists flying...  he came back down on all fours and looked calm, so I walked up to him and reached for the buckle, and he came around and bit my finger!

Slap.  Square in the face.

I was done messing around.  I got a big whip.  A really big whip.  and no sooner had I entered the paddock with that whip, he changed his tune.  Back to being a lamb.  I wonder how short lived this time will be??

Collection and Canter!

After a month of no walking let alone riding, and then two of solid ground driving and collection on the lines, my thoroughbred had a marvelous breakthrough.  For those of you that have been reading (if anyone does) you will remember the bucks and insecurity my boy had when asked to canter.  Even on a lunge line or long lines, his canter looked  more like a rocking horse with cow kicks than a canter.  So we went to the crupper.  It started helping, and he loosened his rear end.  His topline grew, and it no longer looks like a tent. 

Last night, I drove him to warm up and got his head nice and collected.  He was bending nicely at the poll and yielding at the girth.  Then we went to saddle up in our new jumping saddle which fits him like a glove (he doesnt even flinch when I tighten the cinch).  A friend helped me on one end of the lunge line, and I asked for a yielded walk to both sides.  He yielded nicely, forgetting at times, but always responding to cues.  Then we tried the trot.  Again, he yeilded beautifully, even tracking out ward for a bigger circle.  He didn't bawlk like was the norm a few months ago.  Finally, i knew he was ready. 

I asked for a canter.  The first try, he got the correct lead, but felt unsure and stumbled down to his trot.  I rewarded his effort and we went back to a trot / walk circle.  The second time, he slipped right into a wonderful canter.  We did circle after circle of a beautiful collected canter.  All that Long Line Driving paid off!!!!!

Switched directions and he had no problem.  It was wonderful.  So our confidence was high, and we decided to ride free of the long line.  My friend stepped away and my TB and I trotted out and hit the rail.  I asked for the cantor again, and we were off!  It was amazing!  Such a wonderful treat after so much groundwork... must be because I'm a perfectionist!