Wizard Ride 260: Hot Freaks

Thursday, 7/7/11

It was a HOT July day. Wizard and I took it easy and did not do any jumping and instead continued tuning up our flatwork.

We warmed up at the walk and trot. Wizard was distracted by the flies, and was not listening to every half halt. I understand that the flies are a bother, but he was tuning out my leg and seat and I did not want him barging through the aids. We trotted and walked every twenty steps. I half halted before the walk, and if he did not respond to it, I held the bit firmly in my hands so he “ran into” it. This took only a few tries before he was once again tuned in to my riding. It really is a joy riding him, most of the time, because he is so responsive. When he gets too wound up, he goes behind the bit, like he did in the photo above, but a little leg and softer hands gets him back into his forward mode.

We then worked on canter transitions. I found that giving him a half halt and then stepping the trot down a notch right before the canter really improved his trot to canter transition. It also helped him to avoid running into it. I worked hard on my leg timing and we only missed the correct lead twice. We did a few walk-trot-canter transitions in each direction.

At the canter, I asked for a hand gallop each way. The second he feels me let him out a notch, the Thoroughbred in him takes over. I love how his tail is out in this photo, and he’s straining against the bit- “Let me go! Faster!”

I cooled him out in the shade of the indoor arena, and hosed him off and parked him in front of a fan until he was totally cool.

Looking back on old photos, I see some good things about my riding. The shorter stirrups have really helped my leg. I’m sitting more securely and Wizard is rounder. Hooray!

October 2010

July 2011