Taz and Try Update

I ride Taz every Tuesday and Thursday and last week I didn't post anything about him because we rode in the indoor both days so we just did basic walk, jog, lope rides, nothing major. On Tuesday I just worked on a nice slow jog and calm lope since his lope in the indoor the week before was quick and a bit erratic, plus I had a killer head cold so was not up for much work.

Thursday I was feeling much better and up to a little more challenge. We started with our nice slow, relaxed jog. Next, we did our canter in both directions, which he picked up quickly and smoothly and he settled right down into a nice calm, collected canter. Usually his first canter each direction is a bit quick, but today it was quite nice. Then I decided to work on the pattern R had given us a few weeks ago. We start by trotting a straight line down the ring, then picking up the canter in the turn, and cantering a three loop serpentine with simple lead changes through the halt. To finish, we continued cantering out of the serpentine and down the straight line we jogged in the beginning, halting and backing up. He did the serpentine and simple changes perfectly. His canter to halt was a bit crooked the first time or two, but we ended with some very nice ones.

I ride Try three times a week, the days changing according to my schedule. This week my first ride was on Monday. We were testing out a new girth since his old one was too small and neoprene was giving him rubs. His jog was very nice as it usually is. It was cool and he was feeling good so we did a lot of canter work. His canter transitions were fabulous. His canter was very good too. It was a bit quick in the beginning but I was able to quickly bring him back and get a smooth, easy canter. We also worked on his collected canter, which he is doing better and better each time. He goes right on the bit when asked, goes into his headset and does what feels and I hope looks like the most beautiful canter. We also did some work on canter circles, which he did pretty nicely, as well.

My second ride was on Friday. We started with some medium trot work and very nice canter with great transitions. Then we worked on figure eights at both the trot and canter with halt transitions in the middle. His transitions to the canter in the figure eight were a bit slow but otherwise he did it very well. We finished up with some work on his slow jog with his head stretched down, which is one of his best things.

Unfortunately due to Hurricane Irene I did not get my third ride in on Saturday. I did go out to see him though and groomed him up. Afterwards we worked on tacking, which is not his favorite thing as I have mentioned. I tacked him up slowly with lots of praise, then I let him sit with the tack a few minutes, gave him lots of carrots then took it off. Afterwards I groomed his owner's other gelding and mini.