Learning to ride.

I’m having my eyes opened to what "proper" riding is all about with Jazz. He was born moving in a round outline and he responds to all the things that you read in books. You can read “inside leg into outside hand” until you are blue in the face, but until you sit on a horse that’s read the books too, you really have no idea what it means. I’ve taught every horse I’ve had to go into an outside rein contact, but even so I have never felt the like of what Jazz does when you give him an outside rein contact to work to. It is just amazing the way everything meshes together and he produces perfect flex, bend, rhythm and fowardness without even seeming to have to try. I sit there and this magnificent arch of copper sparkles in the light in front of me. It’s a joy and a half.

He has improved again since yesterday in halt. The head throwing has all but gone. He is halting from my seat not my hand. He has reduced the distance to a couple of metres, maybe 5 at most. And he is halting with his back up about half the time instead of none of the time. He turns from the leg and seat too, bent right around my leg in a graceful arch. His shoulder-in is superb for a couple of strides, his travers is superb likewise, his leg yield is perfect, his turn on the forehand is right there. His transitions are sharp and so “up” that if you are not ready you get thrown everywhere :- ) Yet again I have to bore you by telling you that this is like no horse I have ever sat on before. I am so glad I experienced it before I was too stiff and ancient to do him justice.

Today’s new trick (I try to keep introducing new stuff as he gets bored very easily) was slower/faster walk. He got it really quickly, as he has everything else. When he’s had enough, he starts to moan. Literally! Moan, groan, groan, moan, sigh, moan groan. It is so funny, it just makes me laugh, he’s so vocal for a horse, more like my half Bengal cat! Lorna the WOW person came today to fit a gullet plate for me and she said with no prompting “you can tell he’s got such a big heart”, which is just what Allan and I said when we first saw him. I shall do some more loading lessons, and then he can go to his first little parties and you can all have some photos!

Tia and I went out in a sharp wind this morning for a hack and she was lovely. She still needs telling to stay up off her forehand and carry me with her back up, but she is getting better and better. On the way home she produced a walk that was so superb that I wondered where it came from. She’s certainly never swung along like that before. I have to keep reminding myself that she is not Jazz, that I bought her knowing that she was a daisycutter with a low action and not to “get after” her for more suspension in the trot than she is able to give. It helps if I ride her first and not him! She is such a sweetheart, she rescued my year for me this summer and I will always have a soft spot for her for that.

How lucky am I? When I come out in the morning I go to the barn door and I say "morning guys”. Not one but two horses leave their food and turn and walk up the barn to meet me, both of them giving that lovely low chuckle which makes you feel all warm and cosy inside. What a way to start the day :-):-):-)!

C