Saturday, February 21, 2009

Nice Day

Chilly, Then Warmer

I kind of relaxed for most of the day, wearing off the travails of the week at school. Then I did some shopping, in particular to get some apples for the Boys.

When I got home it had warmed up to a reasonable temperature--just above freezing. I headed out to the barn to lunge Tucker.

It's kind of hard figuring out what to do in the winter. As I've said before, there's no point in trying to keep my horses fit, and they can't do the hard dressage work unless they are fit, so I try to mix up the exercise program, just to keep a little muscle on and to develop a good attitude about working.

Tuck was nice and fresh but totally obedient on the left rein. He was instant to my commands for all three gaits. Then, though, I started to get a little silly, which was just fine as he was forward the whole time, even when he was airborne. When I switched to the right hand, he trotted off nicely enough, and then decided the canter was much more fun. Again, he was nice and forward, so it was all just fine.

I'd set up a small jump, right around 2', and so I set him at it. Wow! He jumped athletically, boldly, but at the same time, carefully. What I love is that he adjusts himself naturally for the takeoff and balances up on to his hind end so he gets a really good lift off. He cleared the rail by a good extra foot and kept his composure all the way around the circle.

When the lunge line caught on the rail one time he did get a little silly again, probably not too happy to have the line tighten and then drag the rail behind him, but he settled right back for me.

Watching him, I am again fairly well convinced he would make a super over fences horse. He seems to have a good confident attitude about jumping and doesn't lose his head or rush into the jump just to get over it. Instead he places himself well and uses just enough energy to get over cleanly.

However, the bulk of my jumping days are over. I've evented, done the hunters through Amateur Owner, and competed in a good number of jumper classes in my day. But my knees and nerve just aren't in it any more. I'll play around with Tucker because it's a good way to help build up a dressage horse and it offers some good mental stimulation, but I'm not likely to compete.

I didn't work anyone else as I decided to poo pick before the snow/rain or whatever happens to fall according to the forecast for tomorrow.

All in all, it was a nice day. Just the kind of low key Saturday I like.

3 comments:

  1. Weather wise it is weird, minus 1 or 2 at night then sunny and up to 12 degrees centigrades (of course ^-^) during teh day. the air is cold. I am not the only one to get headache from the sun plus the cold.

    But Spring is coming, horses feel it.

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  2. There's nothing like a nice relaxing day spent with horses.

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  3. snap, indeed. but i didn't set up the 2' jump....

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