Surfacing

Seems like I am in a bit of a blogging funk.  Our rides are happening, they vary in level of accomplishment versus just hanging out with barn friends/ trail rides, and we are ever so slowly getting better.  But that doesn't leave much inspiration for writing about it.

I have been trying to think what I would like to look back on in a year and read about.  Would I want to know that we are still dealing with some residual warm up snark?  It takes a couple times around the ring and a few pony club kicks or crop smacks to get moving and then we can settle into a very nice trot.

Does it matter that he still tends to lean on the inside leg for balance?  Horse can move off both legs like a champ so it is clearly something he goes to when he feels unbalanced or like life is too hard.

Canter transitions are still a little slow.  He almost never gets the wrong lead these days but he is slower to strike off to the right.  The transition there is more correct however.  The right lead he picks up quickly but tends to lean inside to do it.  Swapping is still a thing that happens, sometimes often, sometimes not so much.

Last night he swapped a bunch but never just in back, it was always a full change.  Is that progress?  It is noteworthy?

Odin did get a trainer jumping lesson on Sunday and that went very well.  We did some jumping on Saturday that largely went fine but we are still struggling to trot fences.  Apparently I am pulling on him a little bit right in front of the jump which is causing his slow motion jumps.  I don't feel that I am doing that but horse is reliable enough that my new tactic will be to just float the reins the last 5 seconds before the fence.  And maybe I can take some lessons on experienced jumpers since it has been freaking forever since I really jumped and I could use a refresher.

Cantering jumps is easy but Odin is just now getting a canter that you can do something with besides hold on.  R2 did let him canter some fences Sunday and he was a much happier camper that way.  Even with her trotting them it was still a little flail-y.  Trotting jumps is hard, yo.

Cantering jumps is better

Had one perfect, flawless lead change and one where he was a couple strides late in front.  Lead changes aren't really going to be his long term challenge, I don't think.

He was great for that ride in every way.  Jumped everything nicely, didn't get too excited when he  got the long spot to one jump (I mean, there was some excitement for sure), cantered jumps on the straight, the diagonal and a bending line.  He bulges the shoulder and doesn't have much in the way of straightness at this point, but he is so game.  Doesn't matter how he gets there, he goes over.  I am stoked for he and I to start trying to put some of this together.

Which will be after his (potential) show this weekend.  Some girls are showing and Odin is going along for the ride.  The plan is for R2 to take him in some classes but we will see how he does.