Outline Work

Today was a really good day at the stables, when I got there like normal I spent some time hugging and grooming Gatsby. When I got on the thing that I had to make sure that I was doing from the start was moving my hips and not restricting the movement. He was forward and so much more responsive, he was good to ride and you could see that he was listening and that was the best part.

When I asked him to move in to an outline he did it willingly and easily, it felt so nice to be able to do it without having to over think it. Fiona commented saying that we were doing well and to ask for more. I knew I could push him for more but I didn't know how much more I could push him. The moment I started to push him more it felt amazing, it was so easy to do and I realised that the key to getting it easier was to drop the weight down the back of my arms. It was so much easier than I thought it was going to be but it was so effective, all though by the end of it my arms were starting to really ache. When it got to about half way Fiona said to let him stretch and also that I could take my stirrups away. I took my stirrups away stretching both his and my muscles. However after we had stretched for about Five minutes when I was asking to pick Gatsby up in to an outline he wasn't as willing, he was telling me that he had had enough. I kept asking though for more from him and when I started to add the lateral work in to things he was really giving it to me. What I love about Gatsby is that the majority of the time he will try his best to do what you ask him to do. The best part about this ride was I got it on Video! At the end of the lesson we cooled him down but then he had got another lesson after me riding him.

Now on to the videos.