Jekyll and Hyde

I'm so over third fourth eighteenth winter. I'm so over the week starting out with a weather forecast of "Sixty degrees will be here by the weekend!" and then Thursday hits and instead it's "JK HERE'S MOAR SNOW."

Over it.

That doesn't really have anything to do with this post. I just thought I'd share that with you all.

just going to be over here in this dark corner of the indoor feeding my horse cookies,
never seeing the sun or tshirts ever again.

After every lesson, I jot down some notes that stuck with me to come back and organize into a post later. The first two things I wrote down were ironically "Don't get stuck on the correction." and "He's an intense horse." Way to foreshadow, BM! Foreshadow my horse being a colossal asshole in his next "dressage ride" that is.

We'll get to that.

Our lesson Friday was mostly at the canter as requested by me. I don't like riding it when it consists of going fast, and falling in, and flinging oneself dramatically into and out of the transitions, but very unfortunately it's not going to stop doing any of those things unless I work on it.

SAD.

all canter should be done in half seat in a jump saddle. much better.

Fortunately, the kid is a smart horse and he keeps his lessons in his head. There was almost no bolting into the transition and then having to be sat on his ass to immediately stop him. There was drama and anticipation, but certainly less than it has been. That's where the "Don't get stuck on the correction." comes in. I was to tell him no and immediately move on back to the trot. Nothing's coming out of lingering on a fight besides a longer fight.

Usually he's almost a hundred percent about picking up the left lead, but he was all about planting his right shoulder out Friday so I didn't even bother trying for the lead until we had a talk about move your fucking front half over here. My hip pain has ceased, but my thighs were whooped after this lesson keeping him straight.

kid also has some pretty accessible flying changes when not falling down

He also hasn't done his disappearing act from the bit in awhile, but after hard canter work he wanted no part of using himself at the trot. He tucked his nose in to his cute little fake frame and peaced out on contact. We worked on alternating pushing him forward and slowing him way down until I could feel his mouth a little bit. Then we oozed down to the walk while keeping a firm feel for a couple of strides before oozing back into the trot. As long as I kept the contact and didn't just throw the reins at him at the walk, he kept the contact as well.

The intense horse part? Ugh. I've said it before. There is no in between with Opie. He does nothing half assed. He doesn't just break from the canter and fall on his forehand or into a messy trot. No. He flings himself down and then flings his head and neck and body around. If he gets something wrong, he's doesn't just shrug it off. He has Feelings about it. Many Feelings.

Something else he has Feelings about?

SCREAMING HIS STUPID FUCKING BRAINS OUT.

after being so good sunday where he got pets and cookies.
no cookies on monday, asshole.

I should have walked right back out of the barn Monday. I wasn't even in the mood to ride, it was more showing up to put the time in with show season looming ever closer. The horses were in for a melting ice storm and torrential flooding rainfall (It's been super nice weather up here lately, why do you ask?), and as I passed the door to the ring BM asked if I'd hold her horse so she could get off as he kept rearing whenever she took her foot out of the stirrup. Said horse then proceeded to lose his shit over life and everything else and set the whole fucking barn off.

I got on Opie and he was fine for all of one lap at the walk before he joined in on the scream fest. I despise screaming all on its own, so when he added in trying to go up as he screamed I got off and put him on the longe before I was too tempted to brain him.

listening ears--listening for anyone to answer

Ten minutes of w/t/c work in side reins and I felt his head was back in the game. I got on and immediately booted him into the trot--where he remained until we cantered. He muttered a few times, but mostly kept a lid on it. I was ready to be done and had him cooling out at the walk when Secret got the barn started again, and Opie joined in again.

After he flung himself bodily into the closed arena doors and then started to go up as I swung off, the fucker went back on the longe where he proceeded to gallop around for twenty minutes. I'd ask him to walk and he'd just turn on the boosters.

"i've made a terrible mistake."
yes. yes you have.

Mindful of his own well being, he was a perfect horse this morning. I had the truck with me so first thing we did was get on the trailer to back off. He patiently waited for his cookie after each slow step back, and strolled all the way off completely relaxed the first time.

Under saddle, we did nonstop lateral work at the walk to hold the brain's focus before moving on to trot and canter. He was really good for both, and as soon as we were done I jumped right off to cool him out in-hand. Horses were starting to get turned out and he'd already ignored one scream-along. I didn't want to get into it again when it was clear he was trying to contain himself.

Absolutely no cookies for Monday. Many cookies were earned this morning.