Well, this is turning into a blog about Gabby and Skate! Where is everyone??
I had my first lesson on my little horse tonight. She really liked him and said he'll be a very 'useful' horse for me. If you knew my instructor, you'd know that was a compliment! She also watched him go for a few minutes and asked if he was a Secretariat baby...which he is. She said she rode Romantico, Secretariat's son, for about two years and LOVED him. She said he was always the perfect gentleman. I then broke the news that Romantico is Skate's grandsire. She likes him even more, now : )
Anyway, we worked on pushing him forward when he gets behind the bit (I have never had a horse that can curl his little nose in so far his head disappears from sight!) and just keeping him forward. We then moved onto keeping my outside rein from flapping in the wind. Just keeping him bent around my inside leg while keeping contact on the outside rein helped him immensely. He's bad about really gnawing on the bit like a baby, but when I got him moving out and kept the outside rein steady, he actually closed his mouth and kept the bit steady (for a few strides, at least).
So, I have some homework to do...which is important for me. I have a tendency to ride aimlessly for about 30 minutes if I don't have a plan beforehand.
Skate is starting to grow on me, I'm happy to say. He's really so quiet and laid-back, I couldn't have found a better match as far as temperament goes. I'm beginning to get past his small stature and I feel like there is going to be a future for us as far as dressage goes. Phew, my panic has subsided.
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8 comments:
I'm alive, I just haven't been riding. So unless you want a blog update on the gorgeous new gray at the barn or how much poop I've scooped...
Glad the new boy is growing on you. Sounds like he's willing to try contact as long as you baby him through it, so that's a good thing. :) I imagine it'd be pretty cool to find a grandfoal of a horse you used to ride. That's a pretty neat coincidence.
YAY for a good lesson. I'm glad he is growing on you, maybe he can be the horse that you really want him to be.
Haha oh man, you win the award for best poster!!!! :) I'm planning to update this morning, honest.
Awww Skate sounds so cute!! He does look like Secretariat. I'm glad the contact seems to be coming along - looks like he's showing glimpses of good solid work. Outside rein is the secret key to life. :)
YAY! I think you guys are going to be fine! He sounds like a great horse!
congrats on a good lesson! Hopefully I'll have a chance to update later today with the update on my boys...and the show from last weekend :)
by the way, I've become quite interested in TB lines...who're Skate's closer-up TB relatives?
Hannah - His sire is an unraced TB named Not Surprised. His dam was an Appendix QH by Romantico who is by Secretariat.
I always get tripped up with the 'by's and 'out of's : )
Im glad the lesson went well and that your trainer eased your mind about Skate.
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