I wasn't too happy for the fall weather to turn cloudy and quite nippy, but I am very happy about my ride on Flyboy at the arena today. We worked on transitions and bending. Actually he is about the bendiest horse I've ever ridden, but bending the right way at the right time is what needs work! To the right he stays soft and "straight" on the circle at a walk and a trot. To the left seems more difficult for him. He tends to bend "away" from the circle. If I really concentrate on my position (shoulders, hips, and legs) then he gets it just fine. This is making me think that I need to get Marleen down here asap to look at my riding and give me a couple of dressage lessons again!
Fly did great with the Kimberwick bit again. I will go back to the snaffle for arena work eventually, but I want him to really understand the Kimberwick for now. Transitons were great and very responsive. We worked on half halts, too, and had a bit of a breakthrough in his understanding of what I was asking. I swear this is a very smart horse.
We also got out of circle mode and worked on the straight. Now it's one thing to be straight on a circle, but it's a whole different thing to be straight on the straight! He wasn't! We wiggled all over the place. I focused on a point at the end of the arena and tried to ride straight to it. We made some improvement, but it wasn't easy. It's going to take practice and some dressage work to get that wiggliness under control!
Fly is leg yielding very well to the left. Surprisingly well, really, but going toward the right is a lot more challenging. It's not something we've worked a lot on yet, but I've played around with him out on trail, asking him to step under and move over for a step or two. He is so flexible and "reachy" that I think he could be a good dressage horse.
His canter feels great. It will feel better still when he is straight! It's hard work cantering in the deep sandy arena. Fly actually broke a sweat today! Picking up his left lead is more challenging than getting the right. Is this my position/riding again? Or is this a right handed/left handed thing with him.?
Anyway it was a fun ride and confidence building for me and hopefully for him, too, after Saturday's ride! I am watching the weather station to see what the weather will bring for Moab. I'm still planning to go down if it isn't going to be too cold. I am a terrible camping wimp in very cold weather! (So give me a living quarters trailer with a nice heater and I might buck up, but the back of my truck can get too freezing cold!) ;)
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