Today started out with a vet jog which went fine. Then we had a meeting with the test director, Helmut Schrant about what to expect for the next 10 days. There are 7 stallions total. Gran Casso of course, a big chestnut Innverness, a buckskin pony Champions Devito, a bay driving pony Wasabi, a BWP jumper stallion Coronado WW, a big 17.2 hand Dutch stallion also from Texas American Express and one other jumper whose name escapes me.
I rode Gran Casso today and he was really good!! Very relaxed and even a bit lazy. At the farm in Kentucky he was getting lots of alfalfa. Now that he's back to his normal hay ration I'm seeing a difference in energy level. Maybe time to add a bit more alfalfa to the diet! Yesterday I bought a new bit for him because he kept backing off the loose ring. He just didn't want to touch it and was getting too deep. I put him back in an eggbutt today and he was a happy boy! Salivated a lot and was very willing to connect to the bit. He felt really super. I'm excited to have him at this test and I sure hope he does well! He has been so adaptable this whole trip. Never gets worried or concerned when he moves to a new place. Unforuntately he's not getting as much turnout here as he gets at home and he acts like he could care less. As long as there is hay in front of him, he's happy:-)
We will be working him Friday-Sunday and he will get Monday off. We wil put him through the jump chute a few times as well. We are primarily working on getting him stronger doing lots of transitions within and between gaits and also shoulder in and shoulder in on the circle. We started doing a little travers in KY and I continued with that some today. We are also increasing the difficulty of the counter canter. After my ride today I took him for a walk in a field out around a pond. It was so nice to be able to walk my four year old stallion out in an open area on a long rein. What a good boy!
I rode Gran Casso today and he was really good!! Very relaxed and even a bit lazy. At the farm in Kentucky he was getting lots of alfalfa. Now that he's back to his normal hay ration I'm seeing a difference in energy level. Maybe time to add a bit more alfalfa to the diet! Yesterday I bought a new bit for him because he kept backing off the loose ring. He just didn't want to touch it and was getting too deep. I put him back in an eggbutt today and he was a happy boy! Salivated a lot and was very willing to connect to the bit. He felt really super. I'm excited to have him at this test and I sure hope he does well! He has been so adaptable this whole trip. Never gets worried or concerned when he moves to a new place. Unforuntately he's not getting as much turnout here as he gets at home and he acts like he could care less. As long as there is hay in front of him, he's happy:-)
We will be working him Friday-Sunday and he will get Monday off. We wil put him through the jump chute a few times as well. We are primarily working on getting him stronger doing lots of transitions within and between gaits and also shoulder in and shoulder in on the circle. We started doing a little travers in KY and I continued with that some today. We are also increasing the difficulty of the counter canter. After my ride today I took him for a walk in a field out around a pond. It was so nice to be able to walk my four year old stallion out in an open area on a long rein. What a good boy!
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