Summer Jump Start Day!

Best day off in the history of days off? I THINK SO!

This morning started with a GREAT lesson for me and Mo, at a farm about five minutes away. We got to play with jumping and gymnastic lines to build both of our athletisism. The super plus of this was that our warm up online was AMAZING! Mo was just waaay more relaxed than the first time we were there to start. I think because Indy wasnt carrying on and screaming as we loaded, she was just generally in a better mind set. No poops in the trailer :D

Our warm up was just on a 22' in a grassy feild, so I got to play with being more interesting than lush beautiful tall green grass.... right. Somehow I managed, and we had a blast. We got some great circles at a canter, AND AND AND FLYING CHANGES CLEANLY!!!!!! Only probably 60% of them were clean, but STILL! I think my simple changes on the figure eight pattern are really helping her sort out her feet. We also did some awesome canter/halt transitions on the circle. Some super light great yo-yo and sideways later, I saddled up for my lesson.

We had a great starting warmup undersaddle, just freestyle, which was nice. Mo relaxed and felt confident moving forward, so that when I picked up the reins, there was no issues. She was great and feeling really uphill. She can really get some power when she wants to! It was so much fun being able to be the learner all about jumping. We learned all about position and takeoff points and stride lengths... and more I am sure... I just cant remember right now.

After the lesson, to cool out, we got to take a turn around a beautiful hayfield. As we went I played with picking up the contact and asking for a stretch, just to make sure it was still working, and it was, so yey! She also offered me a trot into contact, so that made me really happy to! Reins definately still mean go/dont stop :D

Loading up to go home was easy peasy, Mo was great, still no poops in the trailer! We got home and of course the whole gang was waiting for us at the gate. Silly Indy doesnt seem to realize she has two other buddies to play with when Mo leaves... oh well. Everybody was happy and back together now :) Mo unloaded like a superstar and got to eat some hay/grass while I brushed her, so she was a happy camper. After unloading the trailer and parking it, it was off to the store!

Fast forward the lunch and grocery store stuff, back to home! More play time! Zephyr was next on my to-hug list, so out I went to fetch her. They were in the swampy/watery part of the pasture where I couldnt see them so I kept whistling and calling. I could hear them splashing like they were swimming, but it turned out just to be them in the ankle deep water. Goofballs. No issues with water crossing here! When I got to the last little island I could walk to, before needing rubber boots, I called Zephyr again and she looked up like she hadnt seen me at all [silly goof] and promptly walked over to me really enthused. :D

After pretty much shoving her own nose in her halter, we wandered off to the barn to get spiffed up and also some fly spray. Suddenly the flies are out... though I rather flies that those little gnatty things... ! Once we were set Zephyr led the way back to the pedestal and showed off her genius by getting on it - smart kid! We played with backing up into the round pen a little and then onto the FIREWORKS!

All I did was gently suggest she go off to the right to start a figure eight and OFF SHE ROCKETED!! Full of buck and squeal and giggles. What a goof ball. She aimed to go out the gate that I didnt close [since we were just online anyways] and stopped short when she almost ran into it. It was pretty funny to see the look on her face.. "where on earth did this gate come from?!?!" Then she looked at me like I put it there... and off she darted in the other direction all full of beans. This continued on for a bit. I just tried to direct her gently and stay out of her way mostly..... but then I realised she was just getting bigger, and more explosive and checking out even more.

What on earth was I doing? Why was I trying to be so light and fluffy when obviously Zephyr wanted to PLAY PLAY PLAY!!! Finally I started to PLAY with my giant little kid... and she stopped. One turn around, she stopped, blinked hard, licked a ton and came in quietly and politely. Huh. Sheesh. I should know this stuff! I get so concerned some times, with not getting in her way, or making her feel wrong in any way that I just dont engage her or play the game. DOH! As soon as I started to really play the game she totally engaged and we had a great time. After a few relaxed turns I called it a day and we wandered back out to the herd.

From there I got a great catch from Indy. As I let Zephyr go, Indy asked if it was her turn and made a big effort to come over, which was a real treat coming from her. She haltered really lightly and tried really hard to get her own halter on. My plan had been to play first and groom later, but my poor girly was covered in flies and looking pretty unhappy. To the barn we headed, to fly sprays and brushings!

Sufficiently safe from flying insects, we headed out to the pedestal, which she jumped right up onto :) From there I set her up on a circle to navigate two of the log jumps. She went around but when she got to the first log, she stopped and looked at me, and then hopped her front feet over in a really big effort. Keep in mind this log is maybe a foot tall. It was pretty funny.

When she finally got all the way over the log [big effort there!] she promptly did the same thing at the next log. Silly pony! She managed to keep going a little a make it all the way over. From there we got a pretty good rhythmical trotting circles over the jumps. When that felt good we moved over to the flat space and played with maintain gait first at a trot and then when she offered me a canter [yeyy!] I took that too.

It was so nice and relaxed, so great to see her relaxing at higher gaits. She was even blowing out, which is HUGE for her. We even got to play with some change of direction and she gave me one or two clean flying changes! Yey!

With that, we went over to saddle and then come back to the logs. More relaxation over obstacles, and up I got. Indys bridling is getting really nice too. Soft, though more out of obedience than exuberence like Mo. Either way, better than before, and she reached for the bit on her own :D

After mounting, I set us up on the same circle we rode before over the jumps and she was great. Really relaxed and thinking. When I felt like we had a good round with that pattern, we headed out to the pasture. I have some jumps set up at different heights to play with, including one tiny one to play with flying lead changes. We just played with some trot to start, with steady rein and a tiny bit of asking her to stretch. I wasnt really thinking about contact today, just wanting to have some fun.

After a great trot warm up with lots of stretching and blowing, I asked for the canter and got this great slow balanced canter [compared to yesterdays racing almost-a-gallop] with even more blowing out. She was doing so great! Since she was doing so well, I decided to try a lead change over the tiny jump. I just thought about it, I didnt know if it would work or not, this was the first time we did this kind of pattern.

LO AND BEHOLD! 

LEAD CHANGE!

WHOO!!!1 I couldnt believe it! We took a great victory lap around our riding spot for that :) And then we did it AGAIN! I was so excited!  I kept just randomly throwing the jump in every now and again, and each time Indy got a clean change, or, if she missed behind, she fixed it within a stride or two. Hows that for amazing? Gotta love the spotty pony!!

When I asked for her to slow down, she was right there with me slowing down to a walk. We walked out and wandered for a while and Indy was great, really relaxed and stretching even.

I am on such a high from my spotty pony being so amazing!!!! I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!

So that was a my great start to summer today. It was warm, sunny, and full of ponies!!

:)
S