Post by ashlea on Jul 24, 2006 5:38:54 GMT -5
Midnight followed along quite placidly behind Natalie as she led the stallion onto the soft gravel of the arena. He spooked slightly at the white dressage markers, but Natalie knew that they were just high spirits after having been in his stall for so long. "Midnight, " she scolded as she halted the horse and checked the girth for a second time. The stallion's coat gleamed with the grooming Natalie had given him, and with his elegant head and excellent conformation, she was sure that one day the stallion would be a champion stud. " Come on you," Natalie said as she steadied the stallion before springing up onto the flashy dressage saddle. Midnight pawed the ground as she gathered up his reins and sent him forward at a walk....as much to gauge his pace and behaviour as to warm Midnight up. He sure is tall, Natalie thought with a rueful smile, as after 10 minutes of warm-up she brought the stallion to a square halt.
Natalie began with transcitions from a walk to trot and then onto a canter, and each time she noted how Midnight performed and his strength at each gait. When they reached A, she slowed the stallion to a walk and then using the pressure of the reins and bit, and a slight tap with the crop, she turned Midnight down the centre of the arena. When they reached the middle, Natalie asked for a square halt, dropping her weight into the saddle and making sure that Midnight didn't fidget or move. Satisfied that he knew what to do, she turned the stallion to E at an extended walk, and then as they made a diagonal from H to F Natalie pressed the stallion into a collected trot, all the while keeping a light contact with the mouth. As they came to the corner, she made sure that Midnight wasn't stiff and unyeilding, but rather supple. The stallion performed a right half pass, and then as Midnight passed M, she pressed for a collected canter. He responded and performed a flying change flawlessly when asked. "Good boy," Natalie said as she patted the stallion, and as they turned down the centre of the arena, they went from a canter to a walk and then to a piaffe. Midnight faltered slightly here and she corrected the stallion's movements, but today was more for Natalie to judge what needed to be worked on, rather than correcting past mistakes. Midnight moved into the 20 step passage, but he performed this with great difficulty, and so as they finished, Natalie pressed the stallion for an extended canter. As they passed A, she brought Midnight back to a walk, and halted the stallion, pleased with his work and full of words of praise.
Natalie walked Midnight around the arena to cool down, and then convinced that he was no longer sweaty, led him back to the barn. She crosstied the stallion, untacking Midnight and giving him a well-deserved grooming. Once this had been finished, Natalie unclipped the stallion from the cross-ties, and led him back into his stall, where a full haynet and clean water was waiting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Natalie began with transcitions from a walk to trot and then onto a canter, and each time she noted how Midnight performed and his strength at each gait. When they reached A, she slowed the stallion to a walk and then using the pressure of the reins and bit, and a slight tap with the crop, she turned Midnight down the centre of the arena. When they reached the middle, Natalie asked for a square halt, dropping her weight into the saddle and making sure that Midnight didn't fidget or move. Satisfied that he knew what to do, she turned the stallion to E at an extended walk, and then as they made a diagonal from H to F Natalie pressed the stallion into a collected trot, all the while keeping a light contact with the mouth. As they came to the corner, she made sure that Midnight wasn't stiff and unyeilding, but rather supple. The stallion performed a right half pass, and then as Midnight passed M, she pressed for a collected canter. He responded and performed a flying change flawlessly when asked. "Good boy," Natalie said as she patted the stallion, and as they turned down the centre of the arena, they went from a canter to a walk and then to a piaffe. Midnight faltered slightly here and she corrected the stallion's movements, but today was more for Natalie to judge what needed to be worked on, rather than correcting past mistakes. Midnight moved into the 20 step passage, but he performed this with great difficulty, and so as they finished, Natalie pressed the stallion for an extended canter. As they passed A, she brought Midnight back to a walk, and halted the stallion, pleased with his work and full of words of praise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Natalie walked Midnight around the arena to cool down, and then convinced that he was no longer sweaty, led him back to the barn. She crosstied the stallion, untacking Midnight and giving him a well-deserved grooming. Once this had been finished, Natalie unclipped the stallion from the cross-ties, and led him back into his stall, where a full haynet and clean water was waiting.