Happy new year, although we are already well into the new year. So, I guess, happy groundhog day. I've finally thought of something to say.
This week I tried out 2 new horses. I'm not really in the market, but I saw the ad, and decided to investigate. I want something with established flying changes, since that's a real make or break issue in whether a horse will go FEI. Nic's changes are fine, but they aren't finished. I want something with finished changes, and let's face it, Nic is going to be 14. She's still my buddy, and my companion in this crazy little thing called dressage.
So, I tried out 2 horses, a 6 year old and a 9 year old, each doing tempis. Both mares, of course. I can't help it. I like the mares, even if they make me want to shoot myself. The problem with both is they will have to be retrained to get more of a connection and collection, but that's a problem fairly easily solved given enough time. Both do clean, but short, changes.
Ok, here's what my point is. I've come to a turning point in my own dressage training because I felt something kind of new and particular when trying each of these horses - I could tell which one would have an easier time with advanced collection. I'm not saying either horse can do advanced collection - obviously my feel isn't that sophisticated yet. But I can still feel the difference between the two horses. The 6 year old, when I asked for a more uphill balance, responded fairly instantly. The 9 year old didn't get it. The 6 year old can do working pirouettes; the 9 year old doesn't have the balance or self-carriage to do that yet. I'm sure there's a billion things in these horses I missed given my lack of education, but I sensed that much, which is pretty cool compared to where I was 6 months ago.
Nicole is currently housed next to a 6-month old filly. Suffice to say, Nic is in L-O-V-E. Must be a broodmare thing.
