Seeing the Light

Old photo

Dutch is what I am used to riding (I have been riding pretty much only him for about 10 years). He is long, bendy, and naturally very balanced. Riding him is more about keeping him soft, up in the back, and straight.  He is very sensitive to EVERYTHING! It is like slipping into your favorite shoes - if your favorite shoes occasionally stage revolutions that send you both to the ER.

This is Uno.  He is not bendy, not balanced, and rarely sensitive. He is however the goodest egg. He will try anything you ask and doesn't get upset if it all goes wrong.  His first time jumping a course of fences was at a show - we won our division. Good Pony!  Uno's "issue" is that he thinks fast and down is the answer to everything. Part of this is breeding and conformation - he is a race bred QH - part of this was his early training.  When I first started him, he wanted his little head and neck in your lap, so we taught him to putting his head down got him rewards.  So now when the work gets hard he wants to drag you to the center of the world face first.  It is fun.

Good thing he is so cute.

It has been a learning experience for me, because I am not used to being pulled on, and fighting the instinct to pull back.  A good coaching session with S and our ride last night ended with the nicest most balanced trot I have ever felt on him.  He was soft AND lifted in the shoulder. Of course I have no pictures, but it was awesome!