Two really, really good rides.

With Berky on the mend last week, I rode Ranger, the teenaged schoolie. We did a low course, and it was definitely refreshing to jump a cadenced, push-button quarter horse. I had forgotten how smooth he is- I took my first lessons him five years ago and hadn't been on him since.

Today, we just did some flatwork. Almost all of the boarders were at the stable this morning, and the jumping arena was full of the advanced riders playing around over 3' fences. We warmed up in the dressage arena for obvious reasons.

After the ring cleared out, we did some serpentines, figure eights, and worked on desensitization. (The other riders had put out stop signs, caution tape, and traffic cones as jumps.) We had some really nice transitions, until I lost my stirrup in a canter depart. An "Oh crap!" moment if there ever was- I was expecting him to take off. No, after a "Whoah, boy," and closing my fingers on the reins, he came right down to a trot. We worked a few more serpentines and then had another canter. His depart was AWESOME this time- he stayed collected and was quick off my leg. We went around two 20m circles, I cued for a trot, and he came down immediately.

What a good boy!