Adult Ammy Proof

I love being an adult and making dumb adult mistakes.

When you're a kid and you're growing up, you get bigger and stronger. It's fun. When you're an adult and still kind of growing up, instead of getting bigger and stronger, you get IBS and hangovers. What was supposed to be a couple beers and board games with friends somehow turned into a 3am excursion on South Beach. Mind you, I already struggle to make it to a 10am lesson when I'm fully rested.

Long story short, my horse is a saint. He was an absolute idiot on the ground, but once I got on, it was like he knew I wasn't at my best. That being said, he also let me know that I wasn't at my best and was way too in his face. Commence head flinging . . .

The green box was a fiend once more

I do wish I had done some more canter with him because he was decently responsive. I think it might be worthwhile to do some more work on simple changes. Once he already has the momentum, the transition comes easier. It also significantly changes the quality of the canter. I'm wondering if consistently getting the right timing and engagement in the simple change might improve the actual transition.

We had a complex course, which was really awful timing. The past few lessons have been simple hunter courses. Of all the times to swap back to jumper style training . . . It was very bendy and curvy with a few fences coming up very quickly. We ended up not doing it very many times. My first time through was very bobbly, but I was able to clean it up a bit as the fences went up.

Still got close here, but the momentum was good, and it's nice to see square knees.
The split back legs is a result of coming in off a turn.

My biggest issue is burying him to the base of fences. I think it's a leftover habit from when the jumps were lower and we were focused on keeping him slow. Interestingly, my open finger habit has been super useful with him, and not just because we take at least one flyer per lesson that requires me to slip my reins. If we're coming up to a fence, and I'm seeing the closer spot, all I have to do is close my fingers about two strides out, and he's happy to listen. It's 100% my confidence and not his at all.

The close spots are also a result of not having enough momentum on course. Again, never thought I'd be saying these words. If you're going too slow and try to kick for a bigger spot, most horses will refuse because, on god, that's insane. I definitely need to work on just pushing him out more, using it to get his focus, and setting him up for success at each fence.

I have a lot more to say on this topic specifically because there's a lot to consider, but more on that later. I've got bigger things to focus on right now ;)