Bite your tongue

Photo by Paul Wood

Hamps and I have been busy preparing for Nationals. He is bodyclipped (YAY!!) and my entries are done, breed award nomination done and I have somehow gotten both Saturday and Sunday off work. (not an easy task this time of year). I'll have to work late Friday night (1 am!) so if I ride early on Saturday it may make things interesting, but I'll cross that road when I come to it.

Also I am super excited to meet blogger Jen J and Toran!!!! They are stabling with us!!!!!!!!

It is my understanding that Nationals does not tell you your times until quite late because there is a draw for championship classes.

But, as you all are aware, Hampton and I are no strangers to winging it so we will take things as they come! Oh - the link is still live to help us with Nationals if you so choose:

CLICK HERE

canter half pass

Our Friday lesson was certainly an "off day" though and I try to be very open on this blog, so that everyone knows that this training process is not sunshine and rainbows all the time. Although this show season has certainly seemed like it!

We started off asking for passage and he ... just wouldn't offer it. I tried some transitions and it made it a little better, but quickly moved on because for whatever reason (tired? sore? just not into it?) he was not as animated as he can be.

So we left that alone (why pick a fight?), and worked on pirouettes. Well things didn't go much better there either. I ended up really struggling with him to maintain bend, keep his haunches under himself, turn, and stay on the same lead. Just last week our piros were so good my coach said it was time to play with whole piros (instead of just half like we have been doing).

from Regionals

There was some leaping, propping, grunting, ugly moments but I did end up getting better steps. I was a bit perplexed because we just haven't had a day like this in a while.

So we moved on again to the changes. I tried to do a line of 4s but old habits came back -  bracing in the neck, propping, throwing himself sideways. He was quite obstinate about the bridle and in the middle of the line I just stopped and said "What the HELL." and leaned over thinking maybe he had his tongue over the bit.

Not quite, but there was blood. Checked his mouth and he had bitten his tongue a pretty good one.

Ah yes, well that would explain things. He spooked really badly at the very beginning of the ride and I'm wondering if he did it then?

Ended on a stretchy circle just to end on a good note and put him up.

Nope, not all sunshine and rainbows.

Back at it again tomorrow (in the snaffle for a few days to give him a break).

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In other news: No other horses tested positive for EHV. Everybody off quarantine in the area and I no longer have to deal with buttholes in the morning for temps!