The good lesson

Sunday the riding was excellent.

A lot of things came together. I was able to get some animation out of Champagne by keeping after him consistently. He hasn’t been sustaining the gaits by himself, so I am always using my leg. No wonder he ignores it. After a few targeted corrections, he began to walk with a bounce and be ready to change gaits or speeds within a gait as asked.

I also worked on keeping my elbows at my waist, and sitting up and back even more than usual when asking for and sitting the canter to help my long-backed guy get his hindquarters under him and lighten the load on his front end. By the end of the lesson he was cantering nicely on request, all rounded up and pretty, and I must say he has a canter like a rocking horse, so smooth and pleasant it is like physical therapy to ride.

I hadn’t had much chance to ride last week, with lots of meetings after work and even a meeting all day Saturday, so it was pleasing and liberating to have such a great time with Champagne.

Ken’s lesson followed mine, and he is doing very well too, and now has even agreed to meet me at the barn after work on Wednesdays so he can get a little practice ride in between lessons. Nothing could be nicer; my two guys together on a pretty spring day with lots of birds flying around, wild turkeys gobbling in the woods, flowers or clean new leaves on every tree, the scent of newly mown grass in the air, and a feeling of strength and competence in my body.