Post by blueholstiens on Feb 12, 2008 1:19:34 GMT
--> Working Cheeky
We started out with a strong but steady trot around the indoor arena {for we all know its still winter in Canada}, I steered her, using my inside leg, in a firm ten metre cirlce. Of course Cheeky doesn't like doing small cirlces, so she gives me a little head toss, teeth grind, and a tail swish. But of course Cheeky would never buck or jump, [she wouldn't try anyway, she might spook a little, but she would never try to throw someone on purpose] for she loves working too much. After extending her trot down the long side and shortening in the corners, we change directions across one of the long diagonals. Near the middle, I sit and change my lead. I love sitting to her trot, because it's just so smooth, one of the reason's we do well in the equitation classes. After a little more trot work in the opposite direction, I give her a little walking break.
Of course before I got on her, I set up a few jumps, including a rollback. The jumps I choose to do today aren't that high, they are actually quite easy for Cheeky, but i didn't want to strain her too much today for it was quite cold outside, an I would have to walk her out longer than I usually do.
After giving Cheeky her break, we picked up a beautiful canter. At first we did a collected canter around the ring, doing circles now and then. When doing the collected canter, Cheeky likes it better when I sit, for she can balance herself a lot easier. Out of no where, a sheet of ice falls from the roof, and slides down the side. Cheeky, getting quite scared, took off down the long side. "Whoa girl!" I said trying to get her back into the collected canter we had before. After about 10 minutes of calming her down, we picked the canter back up again.
As soon as I worked her in the opposite direction, I turned her in front of the 2'6" oxer I had made. As soon as she saw the jump, her ears pricked and she became very bouncy in her stride. As we approched the jump, I thought to myself.....this is what I love most about her, she loves to jump, and will mostly do all of the work for herself, I just have to look good. Unfortantly, she doesn't act this way in the show ring....she leaves it all up to me . We came up to the jump and without hesitation, cleared it with ease. Riding her over that jump made me feel like I was flying.
Once we landed, it seemed like she knew where we were going, she turned beautifuly, {from what I could feel} and headed for the rollback. The jump was a 3' vertical, a little bigger than the oxer, but I had placed a tarp underneath the vertical. Coming up to this jump she was even more excited to fly over this one rather than the oxer. We cleared that one as well. Once we had finished our round, completing it with a cirlce at the end of the arena, she gave out a tiny whinny, saying; "Thanks, I really needed that!".
After a couple more rounds of jumping the jumps single, I cooled her out and put her cooler on. I took off her tack, and put her in the arena to cool off while I put the jumps away. Of course she had to roll, because rolling is her all time favourite thing . I finished cooling her out, fed her{but made sure she was dry enough to eat/drink} put her blanket on and put her back out in the pasture with her friends. I sighed and said to myself; "What a good ride, I needed that too."
We started out with a strong but steady trot around the indoor arena {for we all know its still winter in Canada}, I steered her, using my inside leg, in a firm ten metre cirlce. Of course Cheeky doesn't like doing small cirlces, so she gives me a little head toss, teeth grind, and a tail swish. But of course Cheeky would never buck or jump, [she wouldn't try anyway, she might spook a little, but she would never try to throw someone on purpose] for she loves working too much. After extending her trot down the long side and shortening in the corners, we change directions across one of the long diagonals. Near the middle, I sit and change my lead. I love sitting to her trot, because it's just so smooth, one of the reason's we do well in the equitation classes. After a little more trot work in the opposite direction, I give her a little walking break.
Of course before I got on her, I set up a few jumps, including a rollback. The jumps I choose to do today aren't that high, they are actually quite easy for Cheeky, but i didn't want to strain her too much today for it was quite cold outside, an I would have to walk her out longer than I usually do.
After giving Cheeky her break, we picked up a beautiful canter. At first we did a collected canter around the ring, doing circles now and then. When doing the collected canter, Cheeky likes it better when I sit, for she can balance herself a lot easier. Out of no where, a sheet of ice falls from the roof, and slides down the side. Cheeky, getting quite scared, took off down the long side. "Whoa girl!" I said trying to get her back into the collected canter we had before. After about 10 minutes of calming her down, we picked the canter back up again.
As soon as I worked her in the opposite direction, I turned her in front of the 2'6" oxer I had made. As soon as she saw the jump, her ears pricked and she became very bouncy in her stride. As we approched the jump, I thought to myself.....this is what I love most about her, she loves to jump, and will mostly do all of the work for herself, I just have to look good. Unfortantly, she doesn't act this way in the show ring....she leaves it all up to me . We came up to the jump and without hesitation, cleared it with ease. Riding her over that jump made me feel like I was flying.
Once we landed, it seemed like she knew where we were going, she turned beautifuly, {from what I could feel} and headed for the rollback. The jump was a 3' vertical, a little bigger than the oxer, but I had placed a tarp underneath the vertical. Coming up to this jump she was even more excited to fly over this one rather than the oxer. We cleared that one as well. Once we had finished our round, completing it with a cirlce at the end of the arena, she gave out a tiny whinny, saying; "Thanks, I really needed that!".
After a couple more rounds of jumping the jumps single, I cooled her out and put her cooler on. I took off her tack, and put her in the arena to cool off while I put the jumps away. Of course she had to roll, because rolling is her all time favourite thing . I finished cooling her out, fed her{but made sure she was dry enough to eat/drink} put her blanket on and put her back out in the pasture with her friends. I sighed and said to myself; "What a good ride, I needed that too."