stepping up + stepping out

It's kinda crazy - I had been riding only 1-2x per week for so long that I grew unaccustomed to writing more than one riding recap per week. And even before that, often with Isabel, our schooling rides were generally uneventful enough that they often didn't inspire dedicated posts.

"oh hai guys!" - Charlie

But now with Charlie I'm doing my damnedest to get in as much saddle time as possible (or at least, high frequency even if the rides themselves are on the shorter side) and everything is still so shiny and new that I want to write about it all.

so quiet in the cross ties. could literally stand for hours.

For instance, I had been really looking forward to our first ride in real shoes, post racing-plates. Obviously that got put on hold when Charlie had a mild bout of colic later that day... But Brita came out the next day to meet him and watch us go!

at present the only existing picture of us doing anything more than standing/walking

Unfortunately Charlie seemed to be feeling the change in hoof shape and angles and was a bit more body sore and tight through his back than normal. Kind of a bummer, but also kinda to be expected. This guy's level of soreness is very day-to-day right now and is mostly trending in the right direction. It's just going to take time.

riding in company

All the same tho, it was a good ride and we got to check off more firsts - such as riding around jumping and cantering horses. Charlie didn't seem to care much about it, and doesn't get race-y when a horse near him goes faster. I took care to pay to more or less face Charlie toward other horses when they were jumping or cantering in our direction... But again, it didn't seem to matter.

He is drawn in toward the group tho - and the gate. Nothing bad or naughty, just still learning the rules.

"hacking out"

It was good tho. We added in more cantering - this time a full lap wherein I really had to push that big bad wild race horse to keep going past the gate lol. And then afterwards Brita accompanied us on our first "hack out" through the green spaces around the arena. It's a far cry from the trails at Isabel's barn lol, but it's a start!

already crazy about this horse

This past weekend was a show at Charlie's barn, ST, so the place was run amok by middle and high school hunter eq riders and their ponies. This merited some attention from Charlie (esp the PA system) - particularly when we went out for a little ground work lesson with my trailer loading guru (that will probably get a post of its own).

saddle pad from Alli <3

Mostly tho he was fine to do whatever. Charlie's version of getting "up" is to stop and stare with his head sky high. But like... that's kinda it. I'll take it!

Obviously bc of the show running in the outdoor we were relegated to the indoor for our ride. It was freshly dragged after serving as the warm up ring all day and idk if it was the footing or Charlie just acclimating to life but he felt WAY better through his body and feet than he had just the day prior.

girth from Brita <3

We even attempted our first canter in the indoor! Misfired twice into the right lead but nbd, I just brought Charlie back to trot and continued on at trot until we were in a good balance and rhythm again. I've been asking for canter in the same places in the arena just to try to help him understand the cue better - but I also want to avoid anticipation.

Again, tho, it didn't seem to matter. He just went. Those turns in the indoor are miiiiighty tight for him right now tho lol!

dressage tack!!

We repeated mostly the same exercise with mostly the same results yesterday too - this time in dressage tack tho! Hard to believe, but literally every single element of Isabel's dressage outfit (saddle, girth, bridle and bit) fit Charlie. Crazy, right?!?

instant fancy dressage horse, just add PS of Sweden bridle

And actually I think the dressage saddle (with the black medium gullet plate) fits him a bit better than my jump saddle (that has the blue medium wide gullet plate). The jump saddle sits down a little bit on him, and during this ride in the dressage saddle he was noticeably lighter in his front end and not pulling me out of the saddle as much.

Plus we were able to string together steps at a time of relaxed almost-swinging trot! Of course it helped that Charlie felt the least body sore he's been since coming home - so maybe he's just getting more comfortable pushing more from behind. All good steps in the right direction.

we've got all the time in the world to turn this into our "before" picture :)

It might sound like a broken record but I'm just so pleased with Charlie. Every moment spent with him makes me love him even more. Like I just kinda want to gush non stop lol. So obvi we are very much in the 'honeymoon' phase lol.

I'm very eager to make progress on the trailer loading (more to come on that later) so that we can start getting out and about to see all my favorite trainers and ride with friends again! Soon enough tho, soon enough.

For now tho, it's just more of the same, ad nauseam. Short 15-20min rides mostly trotting with some figures and changes of direction, ideally some ground poles (hopefully raised poles or cavaletti soon!) and a little bit of cantering. What are some of your favorite exercises with green beans?