Solene - august 30, 2013

I have been obliged to stop riding for a several months. Since the last post, I could ride Solene only twice before this (too) long break. I kept visting him as often as I could, and have seen him changing and adapting to his environment. He was ridden by three ladies during that time, in a soft, and not too demanding way; He is in good physical shape, and his stallion temper is showing more openly. He has been stabled with no discrimination from other horses (geldings) and mares, which is good for his socializing and mood. However, although quite a nice character, one must be exert due care as with most stallions over his hormonal temper especially when walking him along in-hands.
Under the saddle, he is quite supple and has no issue with lateral work. He is relatively cold, and one must concentrate on building up impulsion at the beginning of the working session before any attempt to collect him because he can give a false ramener easily while letting his hind limbs far behind. His trot is very comfortable, his walk needs impulsion to be encouraged, and his canter definitely needs collection because it is prone to fall into a four beats tempo.
Currently, I ride him with advices given by S., the owner of the barn who is also Solene's owner. As I have perhaps already written earlier, S. is a professional, national level show jumper. An excellent rider indeed, but quite on the German side as for the horse needing to lean on the bit. He does not recognizes the virtues of Baucher's search of lightness as a prerequisite to everything else, and wants the horse to be first 'sent on the bit' and compressed before allowing lightness to be allowed as a consequence, a fall-out - the never ending debate between Baucher and the German school.
Today, we had a good session on the outdoor arena with a warm, wonderful weather. I did abide by S. request to push him forward on taut reins (at the three gaits, with changes of speed) during about half an hour, and then I could ride him in lightness, in a lovely attitude which ended up in a delicious opprtunity for piaffer which I was lucky enough to capture rather nicely: a joy after all these months of inaction!
Of course, while taking full advantage of S. experience and knowledge, I do hope to instill some more Baucherist, lighter horsemanship as soon as possible..