Wizard Ride 250: I Close My Eyes

Wednesday, 6/22/11

Before work, I rode Wizard in the outdoor arena. I feel better about any of my concerns about him not being quite himself- he was perfectly 100% normal. I warmed him up at the walk and trot and then began our “homework” from our lesson last Thursday. I concentrated on weight in my stirrups and on opening up my chest. Wizard and I worked on trot and canter poles. In order to remove myself from the equation of him getting tense over canter poles, I shut my eyes as he cantered over them. It helped! I fiddled less with rein and distance and he get less anxious. We did two outside lines and then a pole on the short side. Once he settled into a nice cantering rhythm, we added one cross rail at the end of the ride, so he was cantering a little “course” of poles and one little jump. It was fun!