Back in the Tack

Yesterday I actually got myself back in the tack for the first time since our show two weeks ago (eeesh, time flies).

I was a *tad* apprehensive since the mare had fire coming out of her eyeballs/eats/nose, due in part to having the last two days off and then topped off by a twenty degree drop in temperature. 

Oh goodie.

We headed to the outdoor and while S and I chatted and caught up, Prair was oddly content to walk on a looped rein and stayed pretty calm. 

She amped up a bit when we got to work but felt a-maaaaa-zinnggggg which I suppose is one side effect of staying out of the way and letting a pro tune your horse up for 14 straight days... Prair felt light, swingy and her shoulder was more mobile than I've ever felt it.  The slightest hint of extra outside rein and she shifted in, inside leg and rein and she shifted out  (whoa).

We worked in a trot pole on our large circle and focused on adding to it (lol) as opposed to letting her lengthen or reach over it.  then we repeated the exercise at the canter (omg, lovely) both directions.

At this point the gerbils figured out that we were maybe going to gallop all over the place and started to awake from their slumber.  Prair also decided that the construction was extremely interesting and scary and started throwing in little scoots here and there. 

Her scoots were 1/2 to one stride long and easy to contain but still, not appreciated.  Then S said "let's work counter canter and ask for a lead change back to true canter down the long side"

I popped Prair into a collected(ish) canter and started our counter canter circle.  I gotta say, she felt fabulous.  Her haunches were mobile, she was gathered up underneath herself and very balanced.  When I straightened her and asked for the change, it was crisp, clean and without drama (!!).

because I just really like this picture.  and she's cantering.

We repeated the other direction a few times and then S added a second change (back to counter canter) at the end of our longside. 

I was convinced this was lunacy and probably impossible, but my professionally tuned, only slightly insane mare was totally capable.

I would have been GRINNING ear to ear if I wasn't so concerned with preventing spooks and scoots. 

Eventually we popped over a small cross rail (in counter canter) and then asked for a relaxed change prior to the corner. 

This was a little less controlled, but ultimately successful and not so bad given the gerbils accelerating in her brain. 

Given my time off (and the mare's) we called it good with that.  I was impressed with how rideable Prair was and how fabulous she felt.  I'm getting more and more impressed with how quickly she's learning and accepting her job. 

Out for a hack today, probably some jump lessons later in the week and then who knows.