Back in the Arena with Cole

Back in the Arena with Cole

The weather isn't cooperating.  I think this was the worse November, ever.  We have had so much rain, some snow and most days are way colder than normal for this time of year.  I have done some trail riding, but not as much as I would normally do in November.  The river has been too high much of the time.

The rain has kept me in the indoor arena a few times--and now the driveway is icy.  It isn't safe to take the horses out on it.  Now, I am really forced to ride in the arena.

The arena really isn't that bad.  I shouldn't complain.  I have kept my horses at barns that didn't have one--and that was even worse.  It is just that I love riding on the trail so much more.  The arena is more like work.

I have ridden Cole in the arena only a few times this year.  The last time, everything felt like it was starting to come together.  I think practicing on Dante really helped me.  The better I do, the better Cole does.  His trot is becoming more consistent and more powerful--and more amazing.  It is hard to sit, but the stronger I get, the longer we can go before I fall apart.

His circles are doing better whenever I can keep both my seat bones where they belong.  If my outside one loses contact, he leans into his circle--and then it is too late.  I have to start all over and do it right.  Cole makes me a better rider.

He loves to do shoulder-ins, but we are having trouble with him drifting off the wall.  That gives me a reason to practice more, so he is happy with that.  I'm not going to try leg yielding until we fix the shoulder-in.

He is misbehaving in his bad corner, again, but I have kept him from bolting.  He gets startled easily in that corner and then wants to gallop to the arena exit.  We have been having trouble with this from the very beginning of his training.  He tried 4 times the last ride, but I was able to spin him around on the first stride each time.  I don't think he is that frightened--he just wants to play.  With a few more weeks of riding in the arena, he will stop doing it.  I just have to catch him every time.

Of course, we always save time for doing tricks.  There is silly walk, turn-on-the-haunches, side pass and backing--and all combinations of them.  I think I should teach him to do line dancing.  He likes them all except backing.  We are going to practice it more this year with clicker to see if he can get a little sharper with it.

If winter keeps going like it has been, I will have plenty of time for practicing.