Fabulous Friday jump school

Friday became a bit of an impromptu jump school.  I had my 2'6 inside verticals set at 2'6, and the cavaletti had been moved from in between the one stride, so I now had a crossrail to a 3' vertical, 18' between the 2.

I'm letting someone borrow Tiki's stadium wonder bit, so I had to ride him in the regular cavesson bridle with the Myler D-ring.  Usually, he is very heavy and hard to rate in that set-up, so I wasn't super excited to be without my little wonder bit.  I again worked on the "leg into resistance" method of getting him on the bit and he was definitely better than in the pasture, but I'm not sure that's a good technique for getting him to soften and come onto the contact.  I had warmed him up on the buckle w/t/c both ways; it is so awesome that I can get him to come down to a HALT from the canter with the reins on the buckle.  I literally didn't TOUCH them:)

The canter felt really nice.  I sat lightly in the saddle and did a couple of circles.  Came across a diagonal with  a pretty soft halt and switch to the right lead, then cantered into the cavalettis on the ends of the ring.  He had the nicest, slow rhythm.  I threw in some circles, a few simple changes, and then kept on going over the course.  Even through the one stride with the 3' vertical, he was slow and fabulous.  He didn't touch a rail, didn't change his rhythm, and stayed pretty much on the bit the entire time, woo hoo!  I even came into the one stride vertical first, and with the exception of one colossal missed distance (he went when I asked for a WAIT), all was pretty much perfect:)  I kept him soft in my hands and asked for a slight over bend in each direction just to keep his neck from locking up, and it was literally the softest, nicest jump school I've had in a snaffle and a normal noseband.  Go Muffin!!

Riding tomorrow and Thursday.  NO idea what we will do!  Volunteering for the AEC's on Friday, can't wait!  Going to meet (hopefully) 2 fellow bloggers for the first time.  Friday is all the big xc stuff, which is super fun for me to watch.  Looking forward to it!