The Phyr Child is Growing Up!!

Somehow, over the past two years of having Zephyr in my life, she has been growing up... In the beginning, she was such a cute little kid. Last year she was kind of a funny looking middle sized kid - being all super downhill and such. This year she was still really downhill, but much bigger and starting to look more like a horse than a baby. She still has lots of growing to do, she is only three and three months old. But she is amazing. And wonderful. And SUCH a great teacher!

There are times when I forget she is a baby. The lightness of her responses and the quality of her tries, just blow me away. I and working so hard not to put anything into her that she doesnt need to know. Sometimes, that means I do less with her than maybe I could, but it all pays of, so I am not worried about what we maybe "should" be doing by now. We go at our own pace, and learn together with success!

Today was really a culmination of all that preparation for me. We have really been playing with building a stretchy trot online - because she tends to be rather stiff necked and bracy just about moving forward in general. Causing her to think down was NOT an easy task! I had to get very creative, because if I got in close to her and started trying to move her body around, I was likely to get an exuberant and playful hoof in the stomach. Not my cup of tea. I started with trying to influence her from a distance, but she just got confused and went faster, so it was time to think outside the box.

I would take her out into the hayfield, where the grass is long and delicious looking and ask her to trot until she really wanted to stop and eat grass. Then I would allow her to stop on the circle and eat grass. It was hardly any time at all before she was stretching her neck down for the grass, but maintaining forward movement. Today was the ultimate test! She carried the stretch for over a lap in the hay field, and then when we came back into the playground after saddling [during which she was a total champ!] I asked for the stretch where there was no tempting grass and VOILA! Stretchy Phyr! YEYYY!!!! My plan is working!!!

So online warmup was SUPER today. Just perfect. She is getting better at canter transitions in general, but still a little sticky once saddled. We played with it some, and it got better, but definitely still something to push to get better. Once I felt good online [only one squeal, and a half hearted buck!] I brought her over to the mounting block and hopped up.

She was a total PRO! Stood like a statue, and came around for lateral flexion pretty much when I thought about it! She is so sensitive when she wants to be! We walked off really nice and played with some point to point in the back with the barrels. Walk first, then trot. Lots of licking and yawning! I rode with the carrot stick to, which Zephyr likes I think, because I can be more clear without having to add more to her halter.

Then came the miracle moments. I went over and dropped the stick at the mounting block and thought "We should canter back to Mo" and POOF we did! It was only the second time we ever cantered before, EVER! Then we went back to our point to point barrels and continued the theme of canter departs. Really thinking about changing my picture from trot feel to canter feel [not just add speed for faster trot] and causing her to catch on to that, rather than "lets canter a whole bunch". Its not about the canter! Zephyr was amazing. Of course we had a few miscommunication moments, but nothing horrendous, and she was trying so hard anyways! The last two were PERFECT and she settled into a lovely forward canter !!!! Holy moly can little horsey canter BIG!

Overall, I could NOT be more proud of my Phyr. SHE ROCKED MY WORLD!!! I LOVE ZEPHYR!!!! She is so smart, so sensitive, so clever! Now, I just have to make sure I dont screw her up :D

SUCH a good morning!!!!

:)
S