I was so curious about Keil Bay's incredible forwardness the past two evenings I made sure that yesterday I got into the arena with him well before sunset. Mid-afternoon, in fact, and with our crazy weather it was also actually MUGGY out, with some biting flies that obviously took advantage of the weather to propagate and find horses' legs.
It wasn't actually summery outside, but close enough, considering they all have winter coats at this point.
So, the question was, was Keil Bay's extreme forward motion because I was riding him at night? Or is he really feeling that good?
He is really feeling that good.
I did a nice warm-up at the walk and we moved right into the trot. Big trot. Forward trot. Ears up trot. Power trot. And then some trot that got so powerful it felt like Keil Bay was going to motor us right through the arena fence. In several places around the arena he was trying to leap into the canter.
We did some trot serpentine work in an effort (on my part) to use up some of that energy. It worked *while* we were in the serpentines but as soon as we were on the rail again, he really really wanted to canter. He was getting very annoyed that I wouldn't let him, and I was feeling like if I DID let him it would be like releasing a highly-taut spring. Could I stay with that?
Probably I should have used the mantra "just do it" but I got hung up envisioning that spring releasing and me trying to sit on it, and psyched myself right out of trying.
Daughter happened to be riding Cody at the same time so I asked her if she wanted to hop on Keil Bay and see what his canter looked like. She got off Cody and hopped on the Big Bay. One walk stride, two walk strides, CANTER.
It didn't burst out in any way except beautifully, but it was big and it was forward. He looked absolutely fabulous. (and so did daughter!)
She stopped briefly to raise the stirrups a hole and then cantered him in both directions. When she got off I asked how it felt and she said "weird."
What? That gorgeous canter felt weird?
"It was like a big fast rocking horse."
And all I can say is:
The power.
The brilliance.
The Hanoverian.
KEIL BAY.
He's a rocking horse for big girls. :)
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
2 comments:
Wow, he really is feeling good. What a wonderful horse and wonderful ride. Glad you got to see his canter and he didn't explode. I get like that sometimes too and ask J. to get on first, just in case. She calls herself my "crash test dummie!" Hope your nice weather continues along with your power rides.
A, I am not sure why I am so surprised that he feels this good. I think going through Salina's fall and all that followed that, and then Keil's eye, had me focused on the ages of both of them and thinking along the lines of that.
It's also true that Keil Bay is on a new joint care regime, has had regular chiro and massage work the past few months, and it's almost always true that when coming back into work the third day is the "charm" - it certainly was yesterday.
It made me so happy to see him move. I love riding him but I also love WATCHING him!
We are lucky to have crash test dummy daughters who will hop on and take the edge off for us!
Post a Comment