I’m Cantering! Wheeee! January 27, 2008
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
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The very first thing I did when I got to the barn today was lunge Tigger. I booted him up, put a bridle on him, and grabbed the lunge line. (Actually, it wasn’t that easy. There was about 45 minutes of futile grooming.)
When we entered the arena, I knew it was going to be a cowboy kind of day. He had a spring in his step that had “I WANT TO GO” written all over it. And he did.
One thing I love about this horse is that even when he’s acting like an idiot, he’s still soft. He rarely pulls or gets strong. And I do have to give him credit — he started out at a brisk walk, and then gave me a cursory trot when I asked. But then he just couldn’t hold it in anymore. I think in a previous life he must have been a fish. I describe his buck to be like a porpoise: He leaps in the air as if he were trying to crest a wave, and then as his front legs hit the ground his backlegs kick out and up. I also call it “the back-cracker”. But he truly was having fun, and as long as he wasn’t pulling and he and I were both safe, I let him have a go at it. I tell you, if he ever decides to buck while I’m on his back I don’t have a prayer of staying on.
It didn’t take him long to putter out. So we made sure the canter transition was in there, then we worked on walk-trot transistions until they were both smooth. He’s a good listener, and has picked up voice commands on the lunge line well. He’s sensitive enough that I don’t use a lunge whip with him. Simply raising the hand that has the coiled end of the line is enough to send him on or create an up transition within the gait. The downside is that if I ever give him too strong of an aid, I can make him worried.
So overall it was a great session. He got a good little workout in, I got to watch him move from the ground (which I still think he has a really cute trot), and we spent some quality time together.
Tomorrow is my lesson with Cindy, and I’m hoping to get some additional instruction on the lunge line. He needs some straightening and I’m not really sure how to go about that.
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