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First Lesson
Today was my first lesson on the darling Axel. I was really excited for it and hoped that we clicked well enough to show promise at least! The day didn't start the best as Axel had decided that the cows are basically the most terrifying thing ever so was busy pacing and worrying in one of the turnout pens when I went out to see him. He is a funny old thing and really gets reassurance from people so as soon as I went out to him he calmed a little would start to stress as soon as I walked away again. We brought him to to relax a little again in his stall which he did the moment he got in there, he was a very thankful little sausage to be away from the scary things that moo. I spent the morning kinda strolling around the property with him just to get him used to it all. He kept an eye on the horizon where the cows were but was happy to walk and chill with me. I love the nothing time we spend together, the time we just do very little but stand and wander, neither of us asking much of each other. I feel like we really bond during that time, I pretend like I am some kind of "horse whisperer"- look at me, over here, being at one with my horse.... at which point I usually trip over some frozen horse poo or something similarly elegant and non "whispery" like.
We also played around with saddles today, he has a very high wither, plus a curved and short back which hardly any saddles seem to fit. We must have put about ten on him today and nothing was great, but a few were viable for now. He needs to build a decent amount of muscle and topline so I don't really want to go buying anything right now, but I want to make sure the saddle allows for him to build that topline and lift his back properly. Luckily I have the wonderful Megan Pifer helping me via photos, tracings and more and more photos. She's been fantastic so I am hopeful we can find something if just for now.
The lesson was brilliant and I just love riding him. He makes me so happy which I suppose is what this is all about! I love that even though he is as safe as anything, but he has a motor and if you ask him to go more, he kinds says, "are you sure" then when you say "yes dude, go for it" he will give you that extra gear. Axel is a sweet, safe boy but he loves his work, which feels wonderful. He's a dude without being remotely a deadhead and is practically perfect. In fact he shows up my asymmetry (which I have battled with for a long time). If I am sitting incorrectly when I ask for canter he simply picks up the lead on which seatbone I am sitting on more heavily/ forward. That means I am going to have to work hard through our canter departs to make sure my naughty right hip isn't too far forward and that I don't collapse through my left side. Oh and he will give me some lovely stretchy trot which is going to be fantastic for him too!
He also got turn out with some yard buddies for the first time today, he was over the moon to be with the 'Backyard Boys" (It's my pun on the backstreet boys, but they are in the yard at the back... get it) haha! I was really keen for him to be able to go out there as I love that he gets a good few friends to hang with, play with, fight with. Plus its a great size turnout and they have space for a hoon and a buck if the mood so takes them. So he is now one of the boys, and very happy he seems to be with his new arrangement.
Tomorrow my wonderful instructor Sara gets to ride him, if she does a passable job I might even let her back on him a few times a week but we will see... hehehe!
Oh and I do have video from today, it needs some compressing and editing but if I can get it sorted I will post it for you, warts and all. Remember, its only our second ride so there is a fair amount of improvement to be made but we all start somewhere and you may as well watch as Axel and I begin our little dialogue, and begin that journey to try to translate and then speak each others language!
We also played around with saddles today, he has a very high wither, plus a curved and short back which hardly any saddles seem to fit. We must have put about ten on him today and nothing was great, but a few were viable for now. He needs to build a decent amount of muscle and topline so I don't really want to go buying anything right now, but I want to make sure the saddle allows for him to build that topline and lift his back properly. Luckily I have the wonderful Megan Pifer helping me via photos, tracings and more and more photos. She's been fantastic so I am hopeful we can find something if just for now.
The lesson was brilliant and I just love riding him. He makes me so happy which I suppose is what this is all about! I love that even though he is as safe as anything, but he has a motor and if you ask him to go more, he kinds says, "are you sure" then when you say "yes dude, go for it" he will give you that extra gear. Axel is a sweet, safe boy but he loves his work, which feels wonderful. He's a dude without being remotely a deadhead and is practically perfect. In fact he shows up my asymmetry (which I have battled with for a long time). If I am sitting incorrectly when I ask for canter he simply picks up the lead on which seatbone I am sitting on more heavily/ forward. That means I am going to have to work hard through our canter departs to make sure my naughty right hip isn't too far forward and that I don't collapse through my left side. Oh and he will give me some lovely stretchy trot which is going to be fantastic for him too!
He also got turn out with some yard buddies for the first time today, he was over the moon to be with the 'Backyard Boys" (It's my pun on the backstreet boys, but they are in the yard at the back... get it) haha! I was really keen for him to be able to go out there as I love that he gets a good few friends to hang with, play with, fight with. Plus its a great size turnout and they have space for a hoon and a buck if the mood so takes them. So he is now one of the boys, and very happy he seems to be with his new arrangement.
Tomorrow my wonderful instructor Sara gets to ride him, if she does a passable job I might even let her back on him a few times a week but we will see... hehehe!
Oh and I do have video from today, it needs some compressing and editing but if I can get it sorted I will post it for you, warts and all. Remember, its only our second ride so there is a fair amount of improvement to be made but we all start somewhere and you may as well watch as Axel and I begin our little dialogue, and begin that journey to try to translate and then speak each others language!
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| Stretchy Chewy! Yay! |
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