I Like To Move It - Move It!

Step 1: Get your butt in the saddle.

Step 2: Get fit enough to KEEP your butt in the saddle!

I’ve been riding two horses a night. I genuinely enjoy riding both horses, despite their polar differences. The Old Man, whom I have been riding for 15 years, has always been heavy in the hand and forward. Over the years, I’ve spent miles and hours lightening his forehand, lightening his contact, and honing his responsiveness. He doesn’t get all bent out of shape when things don’t go as he expected or something blows up right next to him.

something over there?  Hay is much more interesting.

He will make a valiant attempt to jump anything I point him at (assuming he actually sees that there is a jump there).  He sees them most of the time…  Until the jumps get small…

Sorry, mom, I almost didn't see it...

He's just a laid-back kind of guy...

Fuzzy Horse Show - February 2013

He just kinda goes with the flow until something fun comes along...

Seriously, mom.  Ribbons?

The Psycho Mare, on the other hand, is incredibly reactive (though not necessarily responsive).  The steering will randomly go out.  Sometimes the brakes will fail.  She is behind the leg almost all the time.  She sucks back behind the bit, and I struggle to get a real connection.  She is incredibly athletic, but oh so unpredictable at times.

There's SOMETHING over there!!

She has boldly free-jumped a gymnastic line ending in a 2’9” oxer without even flinching.  But she wasn’t thrilled about the 2’ cross-rail under saddle…

We spent a day just cantering figures of eight with a dramatically simple change through the trot just to get over the silliness of picking up the canter.

You mean I had to actually work?

The two of them are like night and day.  But I think Psycho Mare is going to be a blast!  You know, once she's broke...

Anyway, by the time I have ridden them both, my core feels like linguini.  Where has my endurance gone?

What do you do away from the barn to keep you fit enough to stay in the saddle?