Another Great Ride

It was 50F this morning at 6am when Brett and I rode.  We didn't get sweaty and the bugs were still in bed.  I rode in the dressage court while Brett and Mufasa worked in the arena.  Its far too dusty when we ride together in the same arena.  As it is, we take walk breaks to let the dust settle.  Brett has been working with Mufasa, trying to get him balanced.  Brett has had Mufasa for a bit more thana year and a half now.  Mufasa's personality is slowly coming out from where its been hidden behind his past.  He's always been a quiet, kind horse content to wait in the background to be noticed.  Not anymore.  He's still quiet and kind, but he is also showing a bit more spunk.  This morning he told Brett that he didn't really want to trot, he wanted to canter.  Its great to see the bond developing between them and to see this new side to Mufasa.

Meanwhile, up at the dressage court, Lucy and I were doing our thing.  She was the most relaxed yet in the warm up.  We were able to maintain a long, low, reaching frame at trot for an entire lap around the arena.  Usually, she pops her head up before we can finish a 20m circle.  She's definitely making progress.

We did some leg yield and haunches in.

And we worked on coming back and going forward.

At canter, she was smooth as silk.  A far cry from the yee-ha canter of our first few weeks together.  I decided to try forward and back at the canter -- we did a medium canter on the short side of the arena and when we turned down the long side, I asked her to extend.  Oh, my!  I think my smile could be seen from the space station.  We flew down the long side.  She didn't rush or fall on the forehand, she flew.

My best ride yet on Lucy.  I'm dying to take a lesson and show Sandy how far we've come.