Next level

It was one of those weeks in young horse world.  The best kind of week that is.  For months now we have been plugging away and helping drive Odin to the right answers and patiently waiting for him to "get" it.  And we definitely had a week of getting it.  

We really need new media, but here are some old pics to break up text wall.

The stifle, by the way, seems to be slowly improving so more estrone, more stifle strengthening (thanks for the tips on my last post!) and a long warm up is the current plan.

Anyways, it seems that almost everything came together for Odin this week.  In fact, tonight I had the first hack on him that just felt like a hack and not a training session.  He was soft and bendy without pulling or dragging on the bit, he was obedient, and he did w/t/c both directions like he has been a riding horse for 20 years.  

While I have enjoyed working with him this whole time, there was just something special and almost magical about a ride where it all came together fluidly.  Clearly that won't happen everytime, but I love seeing glimpses of the future!

Fancy trot

 Going back a bit, our lesson Saturday was short but sweet.  I am finally FINALLY feeling better so I was excited to get back to real riding.  Odie was a little bit distractable and excited during the warm up but then settled down to work.  We ended after trotting up to a tiny vertical, and he just loped over it, cantered away quietly and dead straight.  Couldn't ask for anything better.

 On Sunday, he got a training ride from R2.  And boy had to work.  He was swapping leads quite a bit in back and didn't want to pick up his right lead, and after consideration, R2 decided he wasn't sore, he was just being lazy.

So it became canterpalooza spring 2016.  Both directions, simple changes across the diagonal and canter more.  Horse thought he was going to die but he did stop swapping in back so her judgement call was accurate.

After a rest, he was then rewarded with jumping.  And like any good baby OTTB he instantly forgot how tired he was in order to leap sticks.

He jumped some scary boxes....well, other horses find them to be scary, Odin was largely unconcerned.  R2 said she put a tiny smidge of leg on him when he looked and he popped right over.  He also cantered a solo vertical and cantered a line.  I mean, he cantered it pretty crookedly but let's not get to greedy, mmmkay?

I hopped on to cool him out and we went on a trail ride.  Due to the rain there were some puddles and mud which Odie eyed suspiciously.  He does have some strange concerns about footing.  And where the dirt turned to grass he decided was not safe and wouldn't cross.  It was flipping adorable.  His ears go out sideways, he snorts, and he s-l-o-w-l-y backs away.  I kick him back forward, he goes, gets to the verge, and repeats.

It took a few tries, but then he got across and was rewarded with some nice spring grass.

All in all, Odie has shown he is ready to handle some added pressure/move along a bit in his training so I am excited to see what is next!