Updates

(Seeing as I seem incapable of blogging on a daily basis)

Gambler continues to blow me away. The Lord is, as always, so, so good, and continues to bless Gambler and I on a daily basis. I honestly just could not be more pleased with how Gambler is doing. He is improving every ride, continues to make me laugh like a madwoman, and is really just growing into himself so well.

I just love my precious little pony!

I had off from school last Monday and Tuesday, so was able to get some good, solid rides in on both Gambler and Auggie. On Monday, I went out to lunch with my grandmother, and then she came to watch me ride Gambler. She hasn't seen me ride him since the beginning of the summer, and even though she is as "unhorsey" as one could get (she's terrified of them. It's honestly so funny), she kept commenting on how well he was doing and how much he had changed! I first started off with lunging him super briefly in the neck stretcher, and then we played around a little bit at liberty. He is such a goofball, and makes me smile so big. :)

I really like the neck stretcher, but I think we will not be using it for a while. Which is awesome, because he is just doing that good! I bought the neck stretcher a few weeks ago, lunged and rode in it once or twice, and then Florence uses it. However, I rode in it the other day and it made him really heavy on the bit. I have always been very anti-gadget, but liked this... However, now I think it's just going to sit in my tack box, because I've been able to achieve the same thing, if not better, without it.

Anyways, Gambler was, of course, really good last Monday! I had some trouble last week getting his lateral flexion going to the left, which has always been his harder side - he just naturally can't really bend very well going that way, and wants to counterbend. His canter going that way is also not great, he drops his shoulder and leans, while sticking his neck in the air like a giraffe. It's probably hideous. Well, last week, I wasn't able to get his right lead! Nada! No matter how many times I tried. He can get pretty strong at the canter, so it was kinda annoying to have to pick up the canter, fight a little bit to get him back into the trot, and start all over again! Oh well, he's never perfect, and neither am I!

My grandmother got some adorable pictures of us, which I love! Most of the pictures of Gambler and I are awkward selfies, so it was nice for her to use my camera and actually take some good ones!

Tuesday, I went to the barn midday again, so I had the ring to myself! I decided to putter around with Gambler at liberty for a little while, and lunge him over some jumps. I started off with the jumps super low, although he got really excited and jumped them really big! It was a two stride to a four stride. I raised them a little, and he just sailed through them! The first few times, he was a little confused and tried to put five strides, before trying to jump the actual chute itself... what a dweeb. However, he was sailing through the chute at the end. He honestly is dripping with potential, I just love it! He's so bold and honest, tucks his knees up nicely, streeeeetches over the jump (holy freaking scope. I foresee being jumped out of the tack lots and lots!), and is just all around adorable while jumping. ;) The rest of our ride on Tuesday wasn't great, he was kind of spooky and the fact that he wasn't flexing well and wasn't getting his lead was kind of discouraging. Wednesday, same thing. I thought perhaps he was a little burned out, so I gave him Thursday, Friday and Saturday off. Spoiled pony!

Today I had a lesson. Oh my word. It was so great! Usually Heather rides for part of our lesson, but she hurt her knee, so I rode for the whole thing. Going down to the ring, I was not so sure how well it would go, because it was so windy! I thought surely Gambler would be a total spazz, but he was an absolute champion through all of the gusts! What a good little five year old he is!

We first started off getting him nice and supple and stretching out. Then, we introduced leg yields to him! He was so good at it, picked it up very quickly, oddly enough going to the left, which is his hard way! He was good at it both ways at the walk, but had a harder time going to the right when we put him into the trot! Well, we worked a lot on it, and he finally he got it! We also worked on vertical flexion, ie bending at the poll. He was kind of confused and frustrated at the beginning, but got it pretty quickly. He is starting to look so fancy! His trot has changed so much since he has started to round over the back, I love it!

As I mentioned, I've been having some issues getting his right lead... So what Heather had me do was leg yield over to the track, and before he was even straight on the track, ask for the canter! He got it! Woo hoo! That will be my mode of attack from hereonout to get the canter when he doesn't pick up the lead! After more leg yielding, we did some canter work going to the left, which is the way he was less balanced. By this point, he was kind of tired, but we worked through it! Heather had me on a smaller circle, and just encouraging him to bend! Well, we did some more trot, and then went to canter again going to the left, but he was going nuts! It was feeding time, so Duchessa, O'Brien, and George were going crazy! Gambler didn't try anything stupid, but he was just so distracted that he wouldn't get his lead. Oh well! We got it, and then he tripped (a BIG trip) and when he got back together, he was on the other lead! I honestly am so blown away by how hard he tries though, every time he stumbles he never breaks gait. He just wants to please so much, and I love him for that.

Obviously, we had to end on a good note, so got some nice trot sets before calling it a day. I am so pleased with how he's doing, and the icing on the cake is that Heather keeps complimenting me! She said he is going to be such a nice dressage pony, and that just makes me so happy to hear. I couldn't have done any of this without her, and I am so thankful for her. She really is just so amazing!

I am truly so blessed! Love my pony and all of the people who grace our life with their presence! I am really trying to be more mindful and thankful of those people, especially with Thanksgiving creeping closer! Gambler and I are so lucky to have some really awesome people in our life, I really could not have done any of this without them.