chipping away: SJ with Sally

Since last we saw our intrepid hero, he's been off gallivanting about, doing all the things. We've galloped! We've hacked! We've done ground work, done jumping, done da dressage. Spent all manner of time in the trailer -- going east, going west. Etc.

AND!! I have zero media from any of this, womp. So, uh, you're just gonna have to take my word for it, mkay?

charlie's favorite pastime is staring intently at horses in the far distance

When I moved Charlie to this farm two years ago, one of the biggest advantages was how much boarding here would cut down on our need to ship out for lessons. That's still true -- we have a TON of opportunities at home (not least of which is our xc course). But lately it seems like we're drifting back to the routine of hauling out every week.

the indoor at oldfields. it's very nice!

Shipping out requires a lot more time and effort, and advanced planning. Most of these lessons get scheduled at least a week or two in advance. Which naturally means that they always end up being on the hottest day of the week haha. It's like Murphy's Law, right? Or, haha, should we say 'Charlie Murray's Law'?? Lol...

gotta love charlie, he unloads at a brand new facility and without fail, first order of business is looking for dat grass

Anyway. I'm sorta at a place with my training right now where.... it's kinda hard to articulate entire lessons in a shareable, consumable fashion without media. Like, hey-o, we jumped some jumps! Cool story, bro! Lol....

But really, tho, so much of what I'm working on right now is about feel. The description of which hasn't exactly changed over the years. Charlie needs to be: In front of my leg. Straight. Forward, but not Running. Accepting contact. None of this is news lol. And yet, that's basically everything we're doing, for dressage and jumping.

inside the indoor! it's very nice, and close to home. perhaps we'll come here more often!

Last week I managed to sneak in a show jumping lesson with Sally at Oldfields School. It ended up being a private lesson -- probably bc neither of us were quite sure what horse we'd have after the crash-n-burn at Full Moon. Charlie was legit foot perfect tho. Honest to god, wish I had video to share haha.

no more pics from the lesson, so instead enjoy this shot of charlie's BFF iggy doing his damned best to get every last nip of grain lol... maybe if you weren't such a slop it wouldn't end up falling all over the floor, igs!

The jumps at Oldfields are all really plain, all just brown rails. Except for a couple panels that have really brightly contrasting geometric patterns. Charlie looked a tiny bit the first time with those panels, but otherwise just got along with things.

oh also. i decided to give one of these a shot. more to come later probably

We worked on mostly individual jumps and combinations, just going back and forth, back and forth. The biggest focus was establishing my canter early -- it had to be more forward than what I sorta naturally settle into (we've all heard that before, right?). Sally wanted me really riding Charlie's hind legs up into the bridle, saying that fixing my pace would give me more options at the fences.

The other biggest focus was straightness in my turns -- another common theme with us haha. Since our first lesson with Sally at Kealani last winter, she's really zeroed in on my habit of losing Charlie's shoulders. And not just our drift over the fences themselves either. The drift actually starts at the point of our turn -- it is the end result of an earlier sin.

lol we haven't lost a shoe yet this season, but came suuuuuuuuuper close this week. we only barely made it to our shoeing appt, literally the morning before leaving for a second lesson at Hilltop (spoilers), but we made it. phew! also, charlie, why u no track up like that when i'm riding you??

So. Straightness and canter. That's basically it haha, the holy grail, right? When I got those two pieces right, everything else just flowed perfectly. And guys, when Charlie is straight and moving forward to the fences? He jumps like a FREAK. Withers pressing into my chest, knees literally visible up by his nose. Bascule for dayyyyyyyys <3

Again, I wish I had pictures haha. But that feeling is hopefully one that will stick with me for a little while!

oh sir, you're a good boy tho <3

The nice thing about Charlie and straightness is.... If I'm not doing anything about it, yea he's gonna bulge and drift and careen every which way. But if I'm prepared and doing my job, he WILL listen. It's not like with Isabel, how it seemed like no matter what I did she'd always pop left at the last second. No, Charlie will do the thing if I ask him to do the thing. So ya know, maybe I gotta work on that haha.

It's kinda crazy haha -- the more I learn about riding, the more I learn that the "To Do" list never really seems to change. It's always just working on the same stuff, just... more. And better. Forever and ever lol. But hey, at least that's the fun part, right?