No escape from the heat ...

Rode this morning at 7:30. I was DRIPPING by the time I got up to the ring.:( Bent Tiki gently into my knee both directions to try and loosen up his neck; he felt good when I did that. Walked nice and forward and had a good outside rein connection. That head SHOT down, yay! I really felt him reach under himself, so asked for the trot. Spent about 20 minutes at the trot, just doing circles, squaring my turns, reversing across a diagonal, half turn in reverse, and the figure 8 with straight lines. He felt really good. I'm not fooling myself; he doesn't feel really soft and supple. He feels like he's really trying ... he feels like he's really improving ... but he doesn't feel like a 100k A/O hunter, either. I would LOVE it if he does by this time next year.:) Maybe, we'll see ...

Went directly into the canter (left lead); he felt great. Straight, balanced, and wanted to go forward. I had to half halt and balance, and I worked on keeping one rein on each side of his neck so I didn't actually CREATE a leaning/shoulder popping problem. Came down to a halt, reversed through a perfect totfh, then picked up the right lead from a trot. He felt the same on the right lead as he did on the left.:) Cantered a circle, and he just felt great; very balanced, and very straight through his shoulders. Cantered on the right lead across a diagonal; stepped out, squeezed with my right spur, and a head shake and a crow hop later, we were on the left lead cleanly. Cantered a lap then did a super clean simple change to the right lead again and he nailed it.

Let him relax for a few; we were both tired and swimming in sweat at this point. I patted his neck and sweat flew in the air. He has a pretty nasty spot on his neck that looks like maybe a small bite; Joyce had been keeping SWAT on it to keep flies off, but it was looking sort of pus-sy ... eeew. He was so sweaty, a flap of skin had just fallen off it. Trotted up to my jump. I had set the poles at 3', then made it into a crossrail. Felt GREAT! Nailed our distance, landed straight. I only popped up a little, not as much as I usually do. Kept the left lead canter, and cantered the jump. I let go to the jump, and got deep again. I think my problem is I've done so many poles that my eye has adjusted all the way to the base, so I'm seeing the distance too deep. Tried again, and took a very akward flyer.:( Came back to trot, and he cantered the last step, getting a good distance. Jumped off the right lead, and got a better distance. Ended by cantering a right lead circle and making sure his shoulders were perfectly straight. He was covered in foam, and I was just wilted. Planning to clean stalls at 6:00 in the morning, then go on a nice quiet walking trail ride across the street after camp's over. Hosed his head, and he was deleriously (sp?) happy; he likes to drink hose water. He stands like a statue when I hose him with luke warm water. When I'm in a hurry and just use cold, he HATES it, lol. My boy is such a diva.:)