Awesome school ponies

Just wanted to share a couple fun moments from this week :)

Nick earned the Giant Molasses Carrot Award the other day for shining example of a school horse taking care of his rider :) His beginner rider was trying her first canter. And she did an awesome job, getting the hang of it by the end of the first long side (mostly managing to get the rhythm and stay in the saddle), being ok around the turn, good down the long side, but sadly centrifugal force kicked in on the final short side (really a record run for a first try to begin with! Usually it's only 1 straight side :) Anyways, horse made the turn but rider really did not and was getting some serious air-time and off to the side. We've all seen it, and it usually doesn't end pretty. But our superstar Nick saved the day. Not only did he very gently bring himself back to a walk (a walk, not a bouncy trot) - and kindly enough that she wasn't catapulted forwards which definitely wouldn't have helped! - But as he did so, he also sidestepped under her and literally caught his rider. It was one of those moments that's just incredible to watch.

And Lissy... Well I think we know that Little Lissy's always going to be a special favourite of mine. Yesterday she hacked me out of my grumpiness (BEFORE I had to teach anybody anything, or even talk to anybody - key really :) but today was sort of amusing. So figured we should actually attempt some work today after goofing around yesterday. And it was raining, so indoors. She was quite good on the flat - she's slowly getting more and more consistently through and the canter is becoming much closer to balanced - and decided to jump a bit. Little trot gymnastic (maybe 2'6") with fairly short take-off and landing poles. Idea being not high, but reasonably technical. Get in tight, use haunches, and get a good arch - no jumping 8 miles past the fence (Sienna's favourite game!). So we did this a couple times each way n she's quiet and focused and doing her job. Also working on the departure (she approaches on auto-pilot but tends to figure her job is done as soon as the front legs hit the ground :). But mostly just fun and easy - for both of us. Except that she relaxed a little *too* much and decided to have a poo break while jumping. This in itself would be ok but she got very lazy with it so I rode her fairly strongly forward to counteract. Alright, no worries. Come around again. Same approach we've done half a dozen times by this point. No hesitation or rushing on Lissy's part. And then she clears the standards. Out of a trot. With possibly the best bascule I've ever sat on. Didn't touch either ground pole or miss her striding. But I swear it felt like riding a beachball. hahaha and one that had been tossed high enough up I could've changed the lightbulbs >;-P O.M.G. And what caused this extraordinary jump? One of her poo-balls was dead-center on the top rail from the last trip around. Yup, wouldn't want to touch *that*. hahaha Repeated the jump a few more times; a little less dramatic but still with significantly more height than required and *amazing* form for each. Was so much fun :) I love my little pony :)