WOW

After two weeks off, I finally got to ride Comrade again. Our last ride was so great, so I did not know what we would have after the time off.
We had worked on canter over poles then small jumps the last time. Mom set up a row of 8 poles end to end down the center of the arena. Then I started at trot doing a circle over the poles. The circle became a spiral down the row while Comrade maintained his trot rhythm. Once he was smooth at the trot, we moved into canter. He did great maintaining his canter down the spiral. Next we moved into a figure eight asking him to change his lead over the pole. He did exactly that with only a slight cue from me. Now onto the jumps. The set up was pole, "X", pole, "X", pole, "X." Again we started with the circle, pole to jump at the canter. I made him figure it out and rode what he gave me. He had one moment of discombobulation, which had mom and Peggy in stitches, but he worked it out and left the jump standing. Plus he continued to change his leads over the jumps. I was really impressed and began to think about doing course work with him. Then the heat wave came causing him to have time off.
Today Mom and I headed to Peggy's early. Mom set up a course of poles. The whole time Comrade watched her closely. Once she was down, we started at trot working the poles. Comrade figured out the distances pretty quick at trot and he decided that it was time to canter. He was ready to go, so we went. He was nicely forward easily making the poles and changing leads. Mom then put up three small jumps, in the middle, on the straight and on the diagonal. Comrade actually got strong working canter over the course, but it was wonderful. At one point I even looked down to make sure I was not actually riding my Arab Barry. This ride was reminiscent of the rides he gave me that it brought back memories.
Anyway Comrade was planting and pushing over the fences and landing with the correct lead. I love how these Cob's remember previous lessons. Comrade had a bit of a melt down, when a scary, ha ha, tractor started mowing up the road and a big horse fly though he tasted good. Then his energy started going towards bucking. Time to slow things down. I used lots of bendy lines and lateral to get his attention back on working. Finally the tractor finished and he started to focus. The work that followed was more obedient, but he lost some energy. I guess Barry left his body :) We ended with him completing the course while listening to me and waiting.
Peggy got some pictures, mostly around the melt down time and after, but not too bad.

A great jump and he landed on the correct lead

Cantering off

Connecting the middle jump with the straight jump

Bendy line to find his focus

Baby shoulder in

Ugh, bad hands

A horse fly was causing him to buck

Happy pair

Wow, look at that step

Low energy, taking in stride but still pushing from behind

In stride, though he came down to trot from canter