Tune Up

Usually my trainer only rides Cupid if I'm out of town so I don't get to watch, but since I had some time off work I asked if we could add an extra session with her riding.  I thought it would be helpful for him to have her clear up some of the mixed signals I've been sending!  Plus it is fun for me to see how far he's come.

She started walking Cupid to warm up, and said it was important from the get go to make sure he's moving forward.  Then she took up the contact at the trot, and Cupid was very accepting of it.  He looked very soft and round.  I always have a harder time getting Cupid to bend left, but my trainer said she didn't feel it, and in fact thought going to the left is easier since he doesn't pop his shoulder out like he does to the right.  My right leg is stronger though, and my trainer said she (and as a result most of her horses) tend to be stronger going to the left.

In the canter they did some shallow loop serpentines, as an intro to some counter canter work.  She rode down the diagonal a few times, and Cupid did not get any automatic lead changes but my trainer said she wasn't concerned and thought he would get it pretty soon.

Then they did a few jumps, the same ones we did in our lesson earlier in the week.  I noticed that Cupid did have his head a lot higher than during flatwork, but he seemed pretty steady and was good about taking off from the base of the jump.