Transcendent Bliss
"Imagine fleeting moments of transcendent bliss and planet aligning harmony between horse and rider interspersed amid a vast expanse of tedium, occasional frustration, and a generous helping of I-know-it's-not-quite-right-but-I-can't-seem-to-fix-it."
This is a quote from the USDF Guide To Dressage in the chapter Are You Dressage Material? It is very true in my experience, although I still love it even when it is a 'vast expanse of tedium'. :)
I had one of those moments of transcendent bliss today. Rogo was absolutely amazing. So forward, responsive, happy and wanting to work - we're getting it!!! And this was after he was outside playing and galloping up and down the hill all morning. We finally got our canter circle, and to the left no less! I thought it was a good month away, with lots of being longed and working up to it with half circles, etc. Up until today he has either broken to a trot as soon as I tried to start a circle, or would just plow ahead going too fast to do a balanced circle.
So today, without having even planned on it, I asked for a circle. He broke to a trot about 3/4 of the way around the first one but I quieted him and put him right back into the canter circle and around he went beautifully. Rhythmic, very forward, good shape, etc. I brought him back to a trot and called it a day. He was VERY proud of himself - snorting, arching his neck and generally taking a big 'look at me' attitude. I was so happy I could barely speak coherently. This probably seems like a small thing to most people, but it's been one of our sticking points. It means his balance and forwardness has improved, and that he can work with me in his new found forwardness. Yeah! Doug was there and watched the whole thing which made it even more fun. We both went overboard telling him what a good boy he was.
Here is the ironic thing - Joan (my previous teacher) and her husband Roy came to visit the horses on Sat. and I was telling her how energetic Rogo had become. Well he was positively lethargic. He'd had his shots 2 days before so I think that was still affecting him, although I thought he'd have recovered. Savanah of course went through her paces beautifully for Joan. Rogo always makes a liar of me when it comes to Joan :)
Savanah was tired today. I think the boys (Dan and Rogo) chased her all morning (playing). Doug didn't push her as she's been doing great and let her go back to her stall a little early.
This is a quote from the USDF Guide To Dressage in the chapter Are You Dressage Material? It is very true in my experience, although I still love it even when it is a 'vast expanse of tedium'. :)
I had one of those moments of transcendent bliss today. Rogo was absolutely amazing. So forward, responsive, happy and wanting to work - we're getting it!!! And this was after he was outside playing and galloping up and down the hill all morning. We finally got our canter circle, and to the left no less! I thought it was a good month away, with lots of being longed and working up to it with half circles, etc. Up until today he has either broken to a trot as soon as I tried to start a circle, or would just plow ahead going too fast to do a balanced circle.
So today, without having even planned on it, I asked for a circle. He broke to a trot about 3/4 of the way around the first one but I quieted him and put him right back into the canter circle and around he went beautifully. Rhythmic, very forward, good shape, etc. I brought him back to a trot and called it a day. He was VERY proud of himself - snorting, arching his neck and generally taking a big 'look at me' attitude. I was so happy I could barely speak coherently. This probably seems like a small thing to most people, but it's been one of our sticking points. It means his balance and forwardness has improved, and that he can work with me in his new found forwardness. Yeah! Doug was there and watched the whole thing which made it even more fun. We both went overboard telling him what a good boy he was.
Here is the ironic thing - Joan (my previous teacher) and her husband Roy came to visit the horses on Sat. and I was telling her how energetic Rogo had become. Well he was positively lethargic. He'd had his shots 2 days before so I think that was still affecting him, although I thought he'd have recovered. Savanah of course went through her paces beautifully for Joan. Rogo always makes a liar of me when it comes to Joan :)
Savanah was tired today. I think the boys (Dan and Rogo) chased her all morning (playing). Doug didn't push her as she's been doing great and let her go back to her stall a little early.
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