Eole - december 17, 2009

Very cold (-5°C), large indoor arena. A few riders exercising, with somewhat electric horses due to the temperature and the snow outside. Eole was quite warm, and I decided to carry on with the work on collection. Long walk session first, with neck extension, looking for relaxation with the usual small lateral flexions, then elevated neck etc.. Jaw relaxation soon came , and Eole mellowed in his joints and movements; combined with the high degree of energy he clearly was prepared to spend, I thought this looked promising. Posting trot with telescoped neck at various speed to continue relaxing his back. Then sitting trot, starting collection with speed variations, small circles and SI alternating with haunches in. Leg yield were easy, and half pass following SI in the corner quite 'gliding'. We went back to collected walk and started a series of halts, reinback on three strides, forward again on three strides, halt again etc...I had the light chestnut twig and I lightly touched his hind legs to encourage some diagonalizing. The key point is to ensure straightness in these rein backs under strong state of impulsion, and the twig helps in avoiding his haunches to deviate. He did not object at all to the twig, which I liked, all the more as I had seen him quite upset by a lady rider who had ridden with a whip some time ago - possibly the hand was more to blame than the stick..
When I felt him ready, with high poll, vertical ramener and vibrant hinds, I trotted him very slowly, on the verge of falling into walk, and I put him in a corner, asked a halt from that very slow trot, then reining back, and forward again with the breathe of the boot. He gave me a few strides with clear diagonalization, and then went into canter on the spot. Roundness, elevated withers and without disorder. A wonderful feeling of lightness and harmony. Of course, I did not meant the canter, but I remembered a video with Philippe Karl teaching piaffer to a grey Lusitano, and letting him going into this type of canter on the spot. Karl explained that it was not bad, because it just showed that the horse had not yet understood piaffer, but did his best to try while remaining in control of himself despite the huge amount of energy he had piled up. Very happy with this I opened the'steam valve' as d'Aure used to say, and Eole went into a lovely collected canter which I progressively extended, letting him extend his neck up to almost loose reins. The good thing is that he did not went up to strong gallup, but stayed in an energetic 'galop moyen'. I reduced the stride again in the same cadence, and he returned to a light collected canter. A few circles at both hands, then spirals with haunches in, then, yes, almost perfect pirouette on the right lead - better then all previous attempts. I tried it on the left lead (always more difficult with him, but could not reduce the spiral radius enough to get near to pirouette.
Nevertheless, a great session, which confirmed Eole ability to rassembler at the three gaits and most probably to piaffer. We went back to stables after a relaxed 'return to calmness' at walk on loose reins, both of us dry despite the generous effort he gave, but my, it was so cold that this prevented perspiration I suppose. I gave him a good grooming and put his blanket on. He looked cosy, and kind as ever.