Sneaky Ninja

 Hee hee. She's sneaky today! In excellent ways and hilarious ways! Okay girl... way to make me eat my words. I'm really feeling guilty that I've said "she's just average" on multiple instances. Because... way to up your game girly! :) 

 

I opted to pay for the covered today because it was hot and we wanted to ride and Lyric sweats soooo much. So we did. And oh my gosh, I forgot how lovely this covered really is. Like.. man! It's shaded... there's a good breeze... the footing is good... the mirrors are so helpful... and it's at Ashland! Ahhhh. I wish I didn't have to pay $25 each time to use it because I would do so many more rides in it if I could afford to. Especially in the summer! So much in the summer. 

 

We tacked up and did a nice long warm up to get to the covered arena. It was sad seeing the barns empty and the pastures being taken down, but... the covered still looks great. We had a nice warm up walk and a tiny bit of trot to get there. She was motoring when we first started out! Motoring!! But good gravy that is such a nice feeling after he being "navicular feeling" for so long. 

 

We warmed up a little bit with some proper collected walk in the arena. It was interesting that on the trails she felt swinging and reaching but then as she kept on, she got a little more short and not so fancy feeling. In the arena, on contact she felt okay but when I shortened up her walk and got her really into the bridle, but soft... she felt really nice! Like she's using her back better and she got swingier again! Then we played with some shoulder in because we had the mirrors. I should have done haunches in too but didn't. I forgot I guess. I believe it was shoulder in right that was harder. I think. Then we trotted and I worked on getting the really nice walk before we trotted. She was good. She was a little fussy but we had lots of good moments. We played with some circles and bending and then some changes of direction. Then we did some leg yields. And... because I wanted to practice Dan's western test, we did that leg yield pattern. And wow.... Lyric leg yields quite nice! She's got some crossing! Although she also has a serious head tilt. I've got to let go of that inside rein, but.. it does help! Okay.. nice girl! Maybe you can be my western dressage horse. Or my english dressage horse! We had some nice trot work and even played a little bit with lengthening although she does struggle with that a bit more. 

 

Then we cantered and again, I made sure the trot was lovely first. The left lead depart was a bit delayed today but it got better. And the right lead canter depart was pretty nice. We had some good canters and she felt more uphill. (Though maybe not like her canter in the field!). We got some good downhill transitions too. We ran through Dan's dressage test too although her reinback isn't great. But she did the turn on the forehands. Not superbly, but really not bad. Especially for her first time doing them "western style" on the rail like that. 

 

We took a little breather and then played a little bit more with some trot and canter. I wanted to do more since I had the arena, but she was tired and had been good. So we headed back home. We took a nice long hack to the lake though, so she could get a drink and cool off and splash. And she drank.. and splashed.. and then out of the blue, she buckled and got down almost to her chest! It surprised me so much that I pulled her up without even thinking! I mean... I didn't want her to roll with my saddle and I really didn't want her to freak herself out, but... maybe we'll try again bareback next time and I'll let her roll. I almost got off and took her saddle off, but... decided to do it another day. Hee hee. All the sneaks today! 

 

I'm so glad she's doing well. I really hope that I can keep her happy. I don't know how much is the osphos, the shockwave, the rehab, the peter horrobin saddle, or what, but... I'm so glad she's currently doing well. And not just "average". She gave me some really nice work today. Like... as fancy as Funny and more correct. I think anyways. Of course Funny is probably going to be more correct eventually... I do worry that I'm just "cranking" Lyric into contact and riding her front to back. But once she gets into that nice place and I soften and she softens, she feels soooo correct. So... I don't know if I'm just building strength and muscle memory to be through and connected or if I'm just excusing my front to back riding. But we'll see I guess. We did play with some stretchy trot and walk today too to make sure she had some self carriage and she felt quite nice and floaty in her stretchy work. She didn't feel like she was on the forehand. So... lot's of stretches and as much giving to the contact but still supporting as I can. 

Good pony!