I love horses today! ;)

Today is one of those days when you feel like moving the mountains only because all the hairy monsters worked well!
Wilastra was the sweetest thing and gave me marvelous display of how cooperative and dedicated she can be if she so wishes! We had a very entertaining jumping session on Monday when she showed a bit of an attitude but today she was simply angelic!

Video from Monday (more on our jumping session HERE)



As per Ross's the jumping trainer advice, we changed Wilastra's bit and it improved the steering and contact no end! This or a very good dental work which was done in two stages last week and on Tuesday - most likely both actions combined resulted in her happy work today. Full report on HERE.

I then rode Bobby and we did our weekly jumping today. I didn't hold my breath when I approached a small xpole but to my amazement he actually took me to the jump! He popped over and over and although he still seems very reserved about me telling him to go he only stopped three times during the entire session! First time at about 0.80m xpole, he hesitated strongly and stepped on the breaks and I didn't insist so we stopped. No problems after that though.

We then put one upright to 0.80m and the other to 0.90m. The first one he jumped every time round and although he felt like he pondered a little and couldn't stop himself from putting in an unnecessary stride now and then he didn't stop which was the main aim.
The 0.90m must have surprised him a little but he feels so capable that I knew he would not have any problems going over if only he did go! I gave him a chance to jump it well first time but he decided to stop. Second time he was going for it but I felt him changing his mind a few strides before and decided not to push. However, I made absolutely clear to him that he has no choice but to jump the third time and...he flew it! No problem at all.
I noticed he doesn't like placing poles and so I won't use them again. He won't find them on the show jumping track anyway ;) I will work him over the poles though to keep him surrounded by the elements ;)
My next jumping session with him will most likely be with a grid and then possibly some parallels.

Teaching this week was very pleasant too, I had some interesting and eager to learn clients who made long hours worthwhile.