It's been a while.... and lot's to tell. We have some real progress, an illness scare and my first absence.
So I've just been on holiday. The emotional envelope to that first concerned-owner absence was the dreaded strangles. Thankfully full symptoms never manifesting (limited to lymph swelling beneath the jaw), and cleared my vets both before and after holidays, but some hairy moments in between. The lowest moment was definitely arriving back a Stansted and fearing the worst, noting his swelling had burst two days before. But all said and done, we're good. God knows what caused it, but it wasn't as bad as it might have been and he confirmed non-contagious. All breathe long sigh of relief.
Notwithstanding this, he seems to have "happily" managed his couple of weeks between turn-out, horse-walker and staff lunging. In fact he seems to have relished the rest.
Anyway back to the good stuff....
About 10 days before going away we suddenly worked out how to establish and maintain a proper school canter. Ok it needs refining, but it is now there, and it is there whenever asked for. Can't believe it. He has such a light canter (which I knew from hacking) which sometimes feels like flight as he covers so much distance with one stride. So we quickly dropped in a Prelim 18 and interdressage WTC test before we went away, all video'd for posterity, lest it all dissappear or be forgotten in my absence (by me I hasten to add not the big E). See youtube. But no.... Today my teacher noted the best canter she had ever seen him do, both on the straight track and 20m circle. It seems so common place to state it here, but we have to remember this has seemed some holy grail for what seems so long. And we've done it our way, gently and smoothly, without a fight, domination or coercion... this why I got my own horse. And as if by magic the bucking has almost completely dissappeared too. I am smiling a lot these days.
I rode when away in France, three very different horses which I have ridden before and loved, still loved them but they really weren't my Ernie and they seemed hard work by comparison. That is the school horse, I should note they are very capable talented animals. In the last weekend I taught myself to leg-yield in canter and whilst this was quite a feeling in itself it had the interesting side effect of so engaging the horse's hind quarters that I felt an unbelievable strong impulsion that I have never felt before (really like there was a force behind me, lifting me and driving us forward, I've read about this but what a feeling).
Having got over the sickness scare I'm pleased to say we're back on the road: I was pleased to discover our progress remained fresh on my return, Sophie has been around to ride him which is really good for him, and he has been treated to a three-and-a-quarter hour hack (mascals, tile kiln lane, piggeries, cabbage farm, golf-course, joydens, chalk woods and then the whole thing in reverse). It should be noted he was very tired and I think his muscles a little sore this morning, though he (very honestly) still carried around my lesson up at Taylors.
He remains a source of wonderment to me, as I have said before he is waiting for me to work out how to ask. That said, I think I can see how we will start to focus on improving through this winter, however for now the rest of this summer is for enjoying!
One small cloud, he rather hurt a small boy's finger this morning - bruised and broke skin I think. I felt terrible, especially when the boy was still crying very loudly 20mins later... needless to say I apologised quite a lot (perhaps a bit much) though I have to say I don't really think it was Ernie's fault particularly. I think he'd been trying to give him a polo whilst I was talking to the mother. I have to say she was very understanding and supportive. That can be trouble with a busy and very public yard.
We have some great highlights ahead, the MM summer show, definitely some jumping there are probably some "handsome gelding" again, so need to do some more in-hand. Also the MMRC dressage the next weekend where we're booked for Intro B and Premin 7.
I am going to have a session with Kelly Marks' reps too to try and find a route through the napping - which to be honest is really really reduced, but I want to do this with them. I promised myself. Rosie Jones coming on the 26th, so lets see.
So bring it all on. Watch the big E take on the world! For he can for sure.
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