May 3, 2011

Today was a fun ride with Gabe.  I found a whole new series of trails at the very end of a neighboring construction site! The greatest accomplishment was just getting Gabe to only walk through them! He has so much energy that he'd rather canter or gallop everything.  That's one of the things that I love about him.  We have such similar spirits in that way.  We love to go fast and if there's a challenge we're going to try it.  But this type of thinking has also taught me a great deal.  I've learned that just because you can doesn't mean you should jump that or go that fast.  I see Gabe as such a huge gift and the last thing I want to do is to ruin that spirit within him because I allowed us to do too much.  So now I'm the thinking part of this relationship and I'm asking myself new questions.  Instead of, "I think we can make it" or "What's the worst that could happen? I've lived a good life" it's "Will this build Gabe's confidence?" or "Will this benefit our training?".  My goal is to, yes, think smarter and plan wisely, but to not lose the child-like joy and fun that comes from being with my horse.

We finished the day with a short dressage test in a large sand arena that has long been forgotten.  Though the construction workers there may see it as a large sand pit, it has become my imaginary training arena, at times surrounded by stands and judges.  Amist the more realistic random plastic bags, rusted gates, and barking neighborhood dogs, who obviously don't realize Gabe has them by several thousand pounds, we practiced being round, supple, and in constant rythm.  Gabe has improved drastically over the past few months.  My desire for a good solid foundation for Gabe is finally paying off as it is taking less and less time to warm him up and to get him into a good working mind-set.  I'm glad that I have focused the past 4 months on nothing but flat work.  I do look forward to getting back into jumping and cross-country.  That time will come very soon as we are moving to Long Shadows Farm in Campobello.  They have an amazing XC course on site! Now it's time to find a trainer!