My friend, Kara, exercised Luba while I was away. Says Kara, "She's definitely energized and needed no encouragement to canter down the side of the field :)". They enjoyed evening riding in the back fields with the full moon rising and the crickets singing.
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| Photo credit: K. Stelfox |
It rained last night and they were calling for rain all day today, getting heavier in the afternoon.
I was up early and on the road to the farm :)
Luba and I headed down the road to the neighbour's fields. We both walked the mile over and I mounted up as we headed up the long driveway. It was lightly raining, so we worked on a steady 7-8 mph trot with a few walking and eating breaks thrown in for good measure.
She felt good and I practised riding straight. In a lesson a few weeks ago, Sonja talked about how we need to keep our bodies and our energy aligned with the horse. So even if the horse is not going where you would like them to go, you have to stay with the horse. Ride straight, and then shift the direction.
When she would shy away from a rock or a pile of manure or a bush, I would just sit and ask her to slow down and then ride straight. Worked like a charm.
We worked this way for about an hour and then walked the mile home. It started to rain in earnest, so I stayed in the saddle to keep it from getting too wet.
One more ride tomorrow morning and then we are off to visit the Quebec side of the family for a week. Home just in time to go to Sharbot Lake to ride a 25 mile event. How things go at that ride will give me some indication how ready Luba and I are to take on a 75 mile ride on the September long weekend. And besides, it will be FUN.
Interesting thing about riding since the Great Pine Tree Tie Up. Finishing every conditioning or training ride with a happy and healthy horse feels like a victory.
Right here. Right now. Just the way things are.
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