Selena Ride 37: Alone Again Or

Sunday, 10/11/09

I left work and got to the barn around 9pm. I was the only person riding. Selena did not mind being alone in the arena and we had a fantastic ride.

We started with our usual walking warmup, first on straight lines, then a few large circles. We moved on to a long and low trot. When I pushed with my leg and Selena took contact, I rewarded her with a softened rein. She is learning to be guided by leg, seat, and hands and her willing nature is taking us far. The past week or so has been a big one for us- Selena continues to improve her gaits, become more flexible, and learn all the exercises I show her.

When I was getting a consistent rhythm at the trot, we moved on to riding different shapes, from figure 8s to serpentines to skinny loops down the long sides, with walking around the short turns. We then worked on transitions, walk, trot, walk, trot, walk, halt, walk. 6 steps at a time, a circle at a time, straight lines, bending lines. She was bending and the hind end was engaging so we stepped it up a notch and I did a little work at the sitting trot. Posting for 10 steps, sitting for 10 steps. Posting on the long sides, sitting on the short sides. Forward trot when I posted, slower trot when I sat.

We took a brief break so Selena could stretch and mentally rest and did a little walking work, including leg yields and shoulder in. I rode out of the shoulder in into a circle to keep the bend, then we did a little shoulder in work at the trot. When I had a good shoulder in from both directions, we did brief canter work on each lead, just one time around the arena each way. Her canter transition was far better, probably because my timing has improved as I become accustomed to her gaits.

As a cooldown, we did the stretchy circle at the trot in both directions, followed by walking. She just broke a sweat but was completely dry and cool by the time we got back into the barn. The Big Grey Mare is getting fit! And she likes my company enough that she did not feel all alone when we were in the arena. Progress, progress, progress.

Wizard got the night off but I did give him a once-over and a grooming. His left hind leg felt just the slightest bit thick- not stocked up, but not perfectly tight. Hm.