Hampton's Groove

Checking out the lot scene at Phish. :-)

Hampton had 3 days off because I decided to "follow the circus" for a few days ... meaning I checked out from reality and spent a few days following Phish around. It was as usual, fun. One night was particularly wild ... I don't think I want to blog about it ... but it was wild. The band was amazing and I finally came back down to earth and checked back into the real world today. Boo.
(For photos from Friday night ... click here)

Good news is that my ride on Hampton this morning was A-MAZ-ING. Not only did he pick up the correct lead on the first try (both directions), but the transitions were prompt, had jump, he was round and balanced. I was a ring steward at a USDF rated show a couple of weekends ago, and I don't mean to sound all arrogant, but I saw several people showing at 1st and 2nd level that did not do as nice of a canter transition as Hampton did today. He truly makes me a better rider. I was so SOOO soft and quiet with my aids and I'm finding that he really works better that way. He prefers not to be screamed at, thank you very much. And I'm finding that he doesn't need such "loud" direction anymore ... he's educated, he's smart, he knows what to do. If I  have too much inside rein = wrong lead. Not enough outside rein = throws shoulders around in the leg yield. I love him for that, he makes me ride each stride and when I do - the horse is the bombdiggity. T-Bone would often do things in spite of me - which just created problems down the line as we worked up the levels.

As a sidenote, a fellow boarder said that the running martingale I use on Hampton is keeping him from stretching his nose out. I use a running martingale on young/green/rank critters simply as a safety device. In my opinion, they are benign unless you get into a "situation." In fact, while I was standing there aboard Hampton, listening to her lecture me, he was stretching his nose out. lol. I stood up for what I believe in - no, he doesn't stretch his nose out so much at this point. He just isn't that developed yet. He lowers his head and neck when I ask for a stretchy trot, but yes his nose could come out more. Of course I encourage that, but I do not believe the martingale hampers this. Obviously I don't ride rolkur, or even low/deep/round, but yes sometimes he does curl a bit (when he's behind my leg), but sorry I just don't see a problem with the martingale. I don't consider it a "training device" when adjusted as loose as I adjust them. I consider it a "save my ass during a crisis" device. That is all.

Anyhoo - plans for this week include a session of ground poles, a few rides outdoors (run through Training level tests perhaps), and schooling turn on the haunches. Shoulder fore and shoulder-in will probably creep in there, too.

April 2010

.. and just for fun: