If you have followed me for awhile then you know that I ride Comrade twice a week weather permitting. Last week I made him figure out how to carry himself with out my help. Today I was running late and decided to put the bareback pad on for a low key ride.
Well I do not know what he thought about during his five days off, but that boy was ready to work today. He did not even want to walk to warm up. So we trotted. He tried to skip into canter going to the left, but I shut that down. A half halt with the outside rein and wow, he took the energy from skipping and applied it to pushing. I almost needed a seat belt. Going to the right was even better. Impulsion is not a word that is connected to Comrade, but today he had it in spades. I had to work hard at staying open and relaxed. My body wanted to lean forward from his lovely pushing hind end and I really was thinking I should have put a saddle on.
Oh well, time to suck it up and enjoy. Once I found my seat and engaged my core I asked for more. The differences between his sides is so apparent during theses exercises. On his stiff right side, his extension is so much better, but his wiggly left side wants to invert when he moves on. I added some collection to set him up for the extensions. This really helped his left side, but was hard for him on his right. Peggy was watching the whole time and was his cheering squad.
Nothing beats the feeling of him utilizing his hind end in such a powerful way while keeping his back soft and round and his shoulders reaching. Plus he maintained a lightness in his front end. Now I have to decide if I want to show him next weekend. The last little hunter show near my barn is happening. They have pleasure and some small jumping classes. Decisions can be so tough. Time to chat with Peggy tomorrow. If he moves like he moved today I would be happy.
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