A Change in the Air

It finally happened, just when I thought I would live in 90+ weather that never rains and was always muggy. But today, today it's 78 out with a high of 81. Tonight lows down to 58. The next ten days call for low to mid 80s.

Yesssss!

So Dino got worked this morning. Poor, poor Dino. Lunged in side-reins on the girth, 10 minutes in each direction. The first five minutes were slow to warm-up and then I asked him to step it up. He was fantastic going to the left, but weak to the right; which is typical. It was July 10 that he was really worked, so right now we are re-conditioning and will be for the remainder of the month.

Dino was fresh this morning and I did anticipate that, which was why he was lunged. I haven't formed a plan for tomorrow, whether it be ride or lunge...probably ride. And on Wednesday we'll just walk, I haven't ridden him to music yet. I think Wednesday would be a good day to introduce that.

A few years ago, my trainer told me to pickup A Gymnastic Riding System Using Mind, Body, and Spirit: Progressive Training for Rider and Horse by Betsy Steiner and Jennifer Bryant. Chapter Two deals with rhythm as the first building block, and it lists starter songs that work well with the gait of a horse. One of the songs is The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' as a great walking song - a good four beat rhythm for the horse to march to, and it allows the rider to get a feel for a good walk. Too many times the rider allows the horse to lag behind their leg, while both rider and horse zone out. Not good. When ever you are on the horse, whether a show or pleasure mount, is an opportunity to work on something. It can be contact, supplying, bending, a good walk, etc. Now I don't mean Dino is never given his head, he is. When we cool out I drop to the buckle and encourage him to reach down into the bridle (contact) and engage his hindquarters and stretch over his back. He's cooling out, but we're still doing something. I don't believe training opportunities should ever be passed up.

In other Dino related news, he's still stall walking. :*(