Riding with Intention

Butterball and I had an absolutely delightful ride Friday morning. I set timers for each "phase" of the ride: 

• Minutes 0-5: walk, at first on a loose rein then picking up the reins softly. Walk must stay just we active, swinging, and soft. Light brush of a leg aid, no squeezing which seems to just lead to a tense pony. 
• Minutes 6-13: walk and trot. First get a good walk, then trot. Well that sucked, back to walk, light aid must move promptly forward and that keeps the contact much steadier, yay. Big sweeping serpentines. Use walk transitions and my posting to regulate his tempo when he wants to head back to the barn quickly. Hands steady and even, no pulling on the left rein tracking left, use leg to put a bend in his body instead. Right hand steady but firm. A few truly straight lines, using legs and my own body to line him up straight, jeez that's hard. Few strides canter both directions. Posting into the transition, outside leg back but not acting, inside leg softly lifts up. Well what do ya know, he can do transitions just as softly as every other horse, I just can't over ride them. Canter itself for 4-6 strides, long enough he knows that was exactly the right answer, not so long it can fall apart one way or another. 
• Minutes 14-17: walk on a loose rein, is my own seat even? 
• Minutes 18-23: more walk and trot, add in a few halt and rein back steps. Holy cow when did he get so easy in rein back? He's straight and soft, not grabbing the bit and sticking his head in the air. Play with the frame, shorter and longer rein, still keeping both of us so stay and even. Thinking about his shoulders as Emma's notes from Windurra camp emphasized. 
• Minutes 24-30: walk again. Can we halt just from my seat? Yes, cool, can we make it straighter? And no, we don't do that by me completely removing my right seat bone, stop that. 

And that, friends, was a truly lovely and delightful ride. No slips with his hind legs, soft and sensitive because that's how I was riding him. Amazing the way that works. 

My favorite set of little black tipped ears

I don't remember if I've updated, but he's in a level 2 myler (small port) and flash and seems quite happy. Never fear you can still fit 3 fingers vertically under the flash but it prevents major mouth opening moves

"Gimme a second, hydration is super important!" -Butterball