Hot Stuff

This week we had a heatwave roll through. The temperatures were higher than what we typically get in July. My thermometer was registering at 37 at one point (98 Fahrenheit).  I had a lesson booked for 1:00 on Friday. Shanea texted me to see if I still wanted to do it and I said yes.

I know it was super hot but in my defence, Carmen doesn't mind the heat as much as I do. We also did a lot of walk breaks. Shanea gave a lesson focussing on being precise and clear in my aids. Carmen has been a bit tight and reactive earlier in the week. I even started her back on some omeprazole and it has made an improvement. With the rain we had the week before and then the heat I think that the grass has changed.

It was super hot but she looked good

Anyway, the goal was to have her soft and bending and responsive to the aids. Through the ride Carmen would get tight and hard on the bit and my job was to bend and soften her. If she barged through and got hard and fast I was to half-halt and, if that didn't work, halt. A couple times she tried to spin and bolt. The spin was successful but not the bolt. It was helpful to be reminded to keep the aids fluid and not just hang on the bit in the futile hope that she would magically soften and come through.

not bad here

It was very much a bread-and-butter lesson but it was very useful. I believe that there can never be too much time on the basics. We did a lot of shoulder in. A lot. But it kept her straight on the aids and decreased the chance that she would spook. 

 One thing that has been a bit of an issue is to keep her balance through the canter-trot transition. Like many horses, the tendency is to fall on the forehand and plow through. But these are getting much better. Of course we could only do a few and then break. 

We also did a few trot half-passes. Well we tried anyway. Which is better than not trying.

not a bad reach with her front and I'm not all over the place

We finished with a little walking and then stopped. When I dismounted I realized how hot I was. Carmen enjoyed her hosing off quite a bit. The next day I rode earlier and it was a pretty good ride.

Carmen was pulling a bit of stuff but nothing major and I kept her one the aids. After the ride I hosed her and then Irish off. The poor guy was really minding the heat. Later that day I was filling the water trough and the horses were standing nearby. He looked so hot, I turned the hose on him, starting with his legs. He stood there and then turned towards me and then the other side so I could hose that off too. Carmen even let me hose her off without leaving.

The heat wave ended on sunday. I don't really want it to be that hot every day but I did enjoy sitting on the deck reading and sipping some iced tea.