Pacha - november 9, 2009

I have skipped recording the last three sessions I had with Pacha. They went fine, and my concern that he could have been impacted by the riding style of his new co-owner did not really materialize. Or rather, let's say it is easy to get out of it by working Pacha with telescoped neck in horizontal placer, and building impulsion slowly and progressively via extended posting trot. It went fine today, in the large indoor arena. I had put the usual steel snaffle, with draw reins this time. He did not show these bit noises that worried me earlier, and quickly found his level of head carriage. We also worked a long session at sitting trot, on circles, with haunches out or in. As I felt he had stored good impulsion, I asked for halts looking for square ones (difficult to obtain with him). I was pleased to see that many were actually square today. The secret to a good halt is indeed a good impulsion, as in everything. I tried reining back. He gave them well, on several paces (up to 8, a kind of 'foule'). It is the first time I had seen this with him. At a point, he had stored so much energy in that he gave a diagonalized stride when moving forward again ( a hint of piaffer?!). Another time, he slightly lifted his forehand - I decided that definitely that was enough, and that I did not want him to go into levade!
The canter session benefited from this preparation. It was energetic, but no disorder after a little initial resistance and I could canter him for several rounds on the large track, at steady pace and in good placer. I was really happy because this is a definite milestone.
Before ending the session, I tried to obtain deep descente d'encolure at walk and trot. I had the draw reins, and as I had learnt from my old teacher, I left the snaffle reins loose, and hold the draw reins at button, raising or lowering my hand to let him feel just the weight of the leather. Sometimes letting a little tension for one second on one side to 'badiner' with a mouth corner and obtain a jaw mobilization. It worked very well and indeed exceeded my expectations since he ended up almost head down, nose in front of the vertical and a fully relaxed back.
Quite a good feeling!