He's reading my mind... The Wookie reads my mind. Would somebody tell my Wookie to get out of my thoughts, because it's scary in there!!!
What a fun thought. I've had a good handful of wonderful Chewie rides. We're not cantering anywhere big, the round pen is rather small. We're also not doing it for hours on end, but in fact one circle right, and about two circles left. But we're doing it. That's enough for me. On a few occasions, I am 98% confident Chewie was reading the most subtle body language, because I'd think to myself, "Ask for canter here real soon", start to move my body for it, and he was cantering. Correct lead, easy transition, all of it. Knocked me off kilter the first time, as I was ready for it, but I spent about three strides thinking, "What just happened?" He read my mind, and the teenie little body cues I was giving him, and guessed that was the right answer. Absolutely adorable.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday - Chewie Chewie Chewie!
Friday, Saturday, Monday - Romeo!
Romeo had a lesson Saturday. Repeat working on leg yields at trot - limited success tracking right. When he gets it, they're stunning. However, that's a 1 in 5 long sides with a request. I need to get better at pick, pick, pick, and not leaning on the bit & leg. If I nudge & release, he at least tries. Otherwise, little bugger leans into the pressure. Tracking left, it's marvelous. Work in progress.
Lesson time over fences without much issue. We moved the PVC rail to the edge, to give me a bit more working room. Romeo was fine tracking right over the fence, then spooked tracking left. He cleared the rails, but sure looked at the standard like it had boogity-men jumping out of the holes. Goober horse. Monsters in the standards, yup, that's what he thought.
There's always much to tell, but I don't blog after every ride, so I forget the fine details of fun-ness. Chewie & I watched deer in our ride yesterday late morning. He'd look, I'd look, then we were right back to work. Yesterday's ride was one of those days when I just felt happy to be riding him. It wasn't any more or any less fantastic than any other day, but I was happy to be schooling.
This Sunday marks the last of the Sienna series. I'm planning to ride like it's a lesson Sunday in show-clothes away from home. Not looking at the judge, not discussing anything with the ring steward or show organizers. I've confirmed my registration has arrived, so maybe the final show, I'll have his name & mine on the stall rental. Romeo probably won't be any more fantastic than he's been, and will in fact be probably more work for me to not mentally over-ride him, but keep him energized to each rail. Lengthening stirrups by one hole for the flat work, then up one for fences. If it's the same judge, she'll be scoring flat work on long irons and dressage-style seat. I won't stick my hands out in front of me, and I won't lean on his face, so I'm not expecting high marks. Over fences, I think if he's steady we'll get decent results.
I'm already mentally past this weekend, and moving on to giving Romeo a light break, and getting Chewie in a solid canter, and a few canter over fences. I have *no* clue how we will do schooling fences at home, but I have a feeling he'll be a breeze. No forcing over the fences, no arguing about needing an extra "peek" of energy, I'll be able to bend forward in two-point without having to be perfectly upright, just point & look past the rails onto the next obstacle.
Countdown to Sienna 3 ... 5 days
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