Watching others ride your horse

It's interesting watching someone else ride my horse.  For the second Saturday in a row, I took Tiki to Patchwork to use in a few lessons.  My motivation this time around was to get him quiet before shipping him to the site of our Sunday IEA show, Chateau Elan.  Once again, he had not been ridden all week.  Rain has played a big part in him and I not sharing each other's company ... not to mention the fact that my barn owner had been turning him out during the day.  I had thought it was just to compensate for him being in for a few nights because of the rain, but apparently she was planning to switch him over to day turnout.  Um, NO.  I like him on year round night turn out because I ride him early in the day, and when he's out at night, he's out for 16 hours as opposed to standing in a stall for 16 hours.  So, just another excuse in the land of excuses for why I've been lazy and not ridden my horse.

He was so adorable when the first kid rode him.  That trot was short and choppy and looked like a race horse jig, but his head and neck is so much more stable and secure than it used to be.  He jumped well; didn't get too fast or strong.  I was happy with how the rides went.  On Sunday morning, I packed his ears with ear plugs and held it in place with the bonnet.  For the first time, I used his stadium set up with the wonder bit and the figure 8 for an IEA show.  I was genuinely worried he would get pissed and jiggy during a flat class if a kid hung in his face with that setup, but we would have to see.

He warmed up REALLY well.  He need some serious tuning up, though ... the canter transitions sucked.  The original course had an end jump, halt, then counter canter the corner to the last jump.  Lol.  Only in the hosting coach's dreams!  The steward changed the course to end jump/halt/trot final jump.  I have to brag though; Tiki and I successfully did end jump/halt/counter canter twice:)  What I hated about Sunday is (for the second time in 4 years) the fact that my horse was used in one middle school 2' o/f class, and one high school flat class.  4 times as an alternate; 2 of those were crossrail classes.  I let them know the crossrails were off limits, and grumbling bad naturedly, warmed him up for his 2'6 alternate position.

His o/f kid loved him.  His flat kid probably not so much since I noticed him counter cantering to the right.  Ooops.  Like I said, he felt like he needs a pretty serious tune up ... guess I'd better get on that before Tuesday coming up!  Clinic with Gigi Nutter; SUPER excited!!!