Luck of the Irish

Through some lovely, kind friends I've been having fun sitting on a variety of horses over the past couple of weeks. 

First up was my friend's jumper. She picked him out in Ireland as a six year old and imported him last spring. Since then they've been killing it in the jumper ring. She recently started bringing along a green OTTB for a new career and wanted company out cross country, so I got to ride her jumper and come along and play. Her guy was an absolute blast!!! There's a lot more HORSE there than Butterball, and his canter was sooooo different. Jumping him took me a minute, but she rides and trains with PW (and is the one who introduced me to him) so things ended up translating well once I, y'know, stopped marveling at riding a new horse and RODE him. He definitely did not have a care in the world out there and would have easily jumped whatever I pointed him at. But he was also responsive and listened - if I lengthened him towards the fence then went "Oh SHIT" he would lengthen then chip and pop on over. Exactly as asked. 

Much different jump than Butters too, but so fun 

I'm told the banks in Ireland are MASSIVE, this was small potatoes for him 

I've also been able to hop on Hillary's lovely horse, also Irish, but a very different sort. We've just done a couple walk hacks so far to get some fitness back. Plus it is freaking hot, and he doesn't necessarily love that. On our first walk we stopped to chat with someone for a minute, and I have never felt more still or anchored to the ground than I did while halted. Very content. Most zen. 

Of course had to go visit last year's bebes 

I've also hopped on Amanda's perfect dude Henry a couple of times now. He is such a pleasure to ride, you just think trot and he's swinging along in a rhythmic lovely trot that he maintains with no input from you. It's kinda Henry's MO actually - he seems to want and need his rider to do very little because he knows best, k thx. Our second ride I asked him to help me with not overriding my canter transitions. He obliged by telling me exactly when I shoved with my seat instead of just brushing him with the inside leg. If I didn't SHOUT at him with my aids he would step right into it. Push too much and he looked incredibly cranky and would run in the trot. Excellent teaching. 

Yesterday, I had a long planned lake date with two friends and got to borrow an incredibly perfect pony for that. While I was definitely sad that Butterball wasn't getting to come participate in his fave activity, my friend offered up her pony who has done absolutely everything on the planet. She warned me that he has also been known to politely lay down in the lake, so I was excited to get to share in the joy of another pony who loves the water. 

That's pony and I off to the left there

He did not disappoint and swam himself around in the middle of the lake. We both had a blast. 

While I am definitely missing my best pony pants, it has been a ton of fun to play on some very different horses. I am quite grateful to my friends for their generosity with their horses/ponies.