Lengthening A Go-Go

Gogo, I must say, had some rather fabulous moments today during my ride. She's actually been quite good these past few rides - we did dressage last Tuesday-Friday, she had Saturday off, Sunday we galloped around like wildwomen in the 12" of new snow, Monday we lunged in the chambon, and today we did dressage again. We've been starting out with walk work, and that really seems to help. She's not been as consistant as I would like, but her moments of brilliance are brighter and far more frequent and sustained than before, so at this point I'll take it. Today's bright and shining moments were our lengthenings - better, more expressive, and more like mediums than lengthenings. In other words, the best lengthenings I think we've ever done! They were so correct, and felt so good, and the trot immediately following them felt connected and really collected. She couldn't quite maintain it for long periods of time, but it was there and it was expressive. We also did some very lovely, correct leg yields - her tendancy is to come onto the quarterline crooked with her haunches towards the wall, and then starting the leg yield with her haunches leading. These ones we did were lovely and straight as well as correct in our positioning. AND we had some really expressive canterwork, complete with a few flying changes. The one way (left to right) she was fussy (because she knew the changes were coming) and kicked up her heels the few times we did them, which made her change late behind. The other way (right to left) is the way we usually change in front and not behind (it's a work in progress, we're getting there!) but I kept her very straight and steady, and she gave me a perfect change! Funny how that works. All in all she was rather fabulous... I just can't get over how good those final lengthenings felt! She really sat down behind and powered forward while still staying totally honest in her contact. What a good girl!

Vicki seems to be impressed with Gogo. On the video my mother took of our lesson (I'll see if I can get a clip up here), she commented to my mother, "Super gaits on this horse. She's a very nice horse." She told me I've done a great job with her (yes!!), especially given her past. She also asked me today if I'm planning on breeding her, and when I told her yes (I want my next event horse to be a daughter out of her, how sweet would that be?), she told me that I really should because she's a really nice horse.

Wow, in less than an hour it will be Christmas Eve. Gogo will have the next three days off unless I have a lesson tomorrow, which I don't yet know. And she'll get nice hot water grain mash with carrots and apples in it, and all of her presents too, of course. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D


Taking a good sleep during the day: