Wizard Ride 36: Wizzy Buns

Thursday 1/8/09

Before my ride, Wizard was really laid-back on the cross ties. He barely reacted to grooming, which I found interesting. Did the day off recharge his batteries? Did he remember that I reprimanded him last time he pinned his ears at me when I brushed him? I don’t know, but I rewarded him appropriately.

Tonight was my third training session with my friend Sarah. Wizard is improving by leaps and bounds with the added input of an experienced trainer. I hand walked Wizard for about 10 minutes as a warmup. Then, Sarah rode him for about 10 minutes. She first rode the walk and repeated the “contact game”: she took contact, then released when he stretched into it, took contact, etc. She then carried the contact work over into the trot. First, she allowed him to “touch his toes” at the trot and stretch his neck. Then, she asked for him to take contact for a few steps at a time. The contact was light and she would release frequently. The most interesting part was when she changed from the easy side (left) to the more difficult side (right), he accepted contact more readily. It seemed like he could carry himself more easily to the left but was willing to get a little support to the right. And there was far less rushing to the right. Sarah also did a little experimenting with his rein cues and came to the conclusion that he does not know very much ;^) We’re in the world of direct and opening reins right now and we’ll be there for a while.

Then, I rode for about 20 minutes. I rode Wizard at the trot for longer periods today than we did in our last session. I was able to ride full circles with him. We first worked on stretching and relaxing his topline. He rushed a few times and I focused on using my seat before my hands. I also worked on my position, stretching into my heels and bringing my shoulders back from my fetal position that I assume when I get distracted ;^) Sarah then allowed me to take a little contact at the trot and it felt good! Wizard felt willing and comfortable. We’re a L-O-N-G way from being on the bit, but I could feel a teeny tiny flicker of how he’ll feel with more schooling. Wizard also got a little bit of schooling around horses since Miss Tuesday was in the arena for a groundwork session. This was the closest Wizard has been to other horses in the ring since I’ve started riding him. He pinned his ears as he rode past her, but kept his focus on me. He even kept his focus when Tuesday left the arena and they closed the arena door. Good boy!

When we were done, I put him in his stall with some Dengie and I fed him some treats: Uncle Jimmy’s Squeezy Buns.

My mom heard the crinkling wrapper and asked, “What are you feeding him?”

“Squeezy Buns,” I replied.

“Wizzy Buns????” she asked, astonished.

“No… SQUEEZY Buns, but I kinda like the name Wizzy Buns,” I answered.