He was a little reluctant to load at first. He's not scared, he just plants his feet. He's never been on a trailer with a divider before, so I let him check things out. And he eventually sauntered on.
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| "I guess this trailer will do ..." |
We arrived at the big dressage farm and Hampton was a champ! The more places I take him the better he gets. I think he hollered maybe 5 times the entire time we were there. A big improvement from our last lesson when he thought he should be a stallion and yell constantly.
The actual lesson was great. He started out distracted (one of the big doors was open, and it wasn't last time we were there), but with work his brain settled and he was fabulous. My instructor was most impressed with his upward canter transitions and his overall canter - saying you can't ask a 4 year old to be much better than that. :) This meant a lot to me as the canter is where we have struggled most. I wish I had gotten video!
We did many leg yields away from the wall, and lots of "almost walk, then trot" exercises which I do a lot with him anyway. We also worked on trot lengthenings and holy. cow. I do not have mirrors at home so I had no idea that how much he has really improved on those. We can't make it all the way across the diagonal yet without Hampton losing his balance, but yeah there are some GREAT moments there.
He was such a good boy. I am so so proud of him. Although when we left he was a turd about getting back on the trailer. Ugh. So my instructor helped me work with him on my own (no encouragement from people outside the trailer) but making his life a living hell outside the trailer and letting him rest if he decided to come in. It took maybe 10 minutes but he decided to come in finally. :) That is something I need to work on. I mean this is really only the 4th or 5th trip he has ever made in a trailer.
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| What Hampton thinks of his green and pink boots! |
I feel pretty prepared for the May 14 CAF show. Lots of practice the next 2 weeks for sure. :)
I am so jealous of everyone who went to Rolex. It looked like so much fun. Perhaps next year for me.
And now back to relaxin on the couch nursing myself back to health. *cough* *sniffle*
Glad you could drag yourself to your lesson! Sounds like it was well worth it. Good to get in loading practice too. Steady struggles with loading but I have no idea what the deal is with that, he has probably hauled a million times in his life. I am sending in my registration for May show today. I guess I decided to go, lol, I didn't want to feel left out.
ReplyDeleteGood for you going out to get a lesson even when you're under the weather. Sounds like a really good lesson :)
ReplyDeleteHope you feel 100% soon!
I sent in our entry yesterday! Looking forward to it and possibly meeting you & Hampton. Will be our 1st time at CAF.
ReplyDeleteI seriously cannot believe how awesome your horse is-so young, so good...you have done such an amazing job. Also, please see your last comment you left on my blog and lemme know if you want to claim your prize:)
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