July Strides

A year has been spent working "whoa" and "easy" so lately I've changed my riding focus because frankly we are both sick of it. Post injury Whisper has taken to hitting a trot the second I'm in the saddle, we collect, and then we just go.

Working corners, bending, leg pressures, releases, collection, and I'm not focused what the pace is (though I'm encouraging her to slow by getting behind the motion). Riding her at a full gallop doesn't even make my heart race anymore. It's just her and she's with me and we are together. Still singing to stay in the impulsion of the moment instead of letting over-thinking get in the way.

She's going to have to learn more of the finer points of collection as we advance, okay okay... I am going to have to learn a lot more about the finer points of collection too... chicken arms and forward shoulders sabotage me every time. My dreams are leaning heavily towards seeing what this mare can do jumping to give her a direction and solid job. 

When the wounds are 100% healed starts the time to work sequences of low cross bars with ground poles between. Here we are 9 weeks out, crossing fingers time will eliminate the need for flesh to be removed. She's carrying herself well though she falls in (probably due a lot to lack of muscle) when arching to that side so we've limited rides to short sessions to gradually bring her back.

Whisper's getting through the unrelenting heat with cold hose soaks, watermelon snacks, stall fan during the day turnout at night, and gatorade dumped in her dinner. When she's worried about me she is kind enough to shake water in my direction like a thousand pound dog. She's also perfected angling her head just right so her body completely deflects the hose back into my boots, is proficient at making a breeze for me by spooking and running by, and once she stepped on the hose where I couldn't see and then she moved just as I went to check it... if all else fails to cool me off there's the good old fashioned surprise horsey sneeze in the face. She's a thoughtful beast.

"If the world were truly a rational place, men would ride side-saddle" Rita Mae Brown