Wiggling

Well, I'm glad I started to braid Toler before nearly every ride. And I'm glad today, of all days, I decided to braid his forelock. Why? Well, I'm fingering it and trying to remember exactly what method works best with his forelock and I notice a little fleck of dirt. I pluck it off, think, that was weird to be hidden under his forelock like that... And then it wiggles between my fingers. Yep. A tick. I looked at it long enough to make sure it was whole, then brought it swiftly to its end. Which reminds me that I should really have a little matchbook somewhere just for such occasions. Or at least a lighter and something to heat. Alas, I didn't, but anyway. Ew. At least it was a little dermacentor and not a deer tick. All ticks are nasty, yes, but deer ticks make me cringe like whoa man. XP

Anyway. His forelock turned out pretty good. As did his mane, though I had to do it twice. I even brought my camera and took pictures, because I'm a dork. I've been taking pictures with my phone every time I braid just so I can see my progress in terms of tightness/etc. I did start to braid his mane differently, in terms of now I'm going under-under for the running braid instead of over-over. And wow, what a difference under-under makes--tighter, easier, so much better on my hands (I don't feel like they'll explode if I don't stick them in cold water), and I think it looks better because the braid "sits on top." Really, it'd be easier to show with pics, so, stay tuned. ;)

Tick excitement aside, we had a good ride. I decided today would be a jumping exercise day, so I initially set up a 7-stride line on one rail and two close diagonals to create broken lines with straight line. (Broken lines were five-strides.) Unfortunately, when I got him and warmed him up, he had already decided that 2'3" was too boring and wouldn't put any ompf to it at all. *rolls eyes* Matter of fact, he hobble-stepped over the first one in the line, and I had to stop him just so he wouldn't barrel through the second fence. Oi.

But I'm determined and sometimes rather cunning. The straight line became a short four-stride oxer combination (still 2'3") and I made a 2'6" vertical on the other side with bounce-ground poles on either side. And, just because I wanted him to wake up (and haven't been on him to jump 2'6" in a long time), I made him free-jump both directions.

You could just see him perk up when he noticed that the 2'3"s weren't as simple as before. He even rounded over the 2'6" and did a happy little squeal. Silly, silly, horse. When I got back on him he was in much better spirits, and while I had to let him go over the 2'6" (confidence building for me), he was very good about collecting and coming back to me for the oxer combination. I did jump in the mullen mouth, though I still haven't decided if I'm going to continue to or not. On one hand he goes well on it, doesn't throw his head over the jump (a bad habit we were working on, though I'm starting to think it was bit-related as he hasn't done it since changing away from the 3-link elevator). On the other hand, I'm finding it harder to keep his energy up at the canter--he wants to relax into it--and while I still have good control, it is easier for him to be strong on the bit between lines making it harder for me to keep him steady. So yeah, we'll see.

More importantly, I have to figure out how to break him of his 2'3" vertical = no effort needed deal. I really don't want to be doing complex exercises over oxers or 2'6" (at least until he's--er, I'm totally ready for it).