Slow and Sweet

I visited with Thunder yesterday although the wind was whipping along the sides of the barn and the indoor arena.  He was such a brave boy even when he looked like he might pop through his skin at the smallest sound.  I tried to put myself between him and everything he thought was scary, and I could feel his body relax and his nose on my arm in thanks.  "I won't let it get you, Big Top," I'd say, and he'd *nuzzle nuzzle nuzzle* in reply.  Such a sweet boy.

In the arena under saddle, we only worked at a walk (it's my opinion that when you're unsure how your horse will react, the last thing you want to do is make him go faster), but I got my money's worth in terms of a beautiful, collected, and focused ride.  Using a constant leg pressure on one side, then the other, I pushed his barrel side to side in a nice walk.  I blocked his urge to trot with my other leg as I kept the tempo for both of us.  When he jumped at a sound, my leg was there to stop him from moving laterally, my other leg was there to say, "I'm still in between you and the Scaries.  If whatever it is wants you, it will have to go through me first!"  I loved how when he'd jump, it only took him a split second to sigh and regain his composure; it was a beautiful feeling to really feel him say, "Ok, I trust you," and keep working.

We did patterns, we did circles, leg yields, everything I could think of at the walk.  He did it all.  He did it without tugging on my hands, without rushing, or falling behind.  I could hear him chomping and licking the bit as we worked; he literally had foam around his mouth and dribbling down his chin from concentrating so hard on the bit, even though my hands were soft and my reins practically looping down.  He walked by the tractor without a second glance.  He was a sweet, sweet boy from start until finish.  He made my day!

Today, I'm working more on me, and what I can do to help him be comfortable and focused each and every time.  I'm studying conformation, anatomy, and how my body as a rider affects the horse I ride; I want to make myself a better rider, as he is working so hard to be a better mount.  I want him to love me as much as I love him; to take as much pride in how far we've come together as I do.  I want him to always enjoy our times together whether we ride for minutes or hours.

I think that's a good goal to have.