Less is More

It’s been a rough month, my dudes. Ashke has had three breaks of at least five days, and one of those was a full week. December is just hard: it takes longer to go anywhere, and although we don’t spend a lot on anyone other than our immediate family, there is some thought and effort that goes into finding just the right gift for our closest friends. On top of that, Star Wars and Pitch Perfect 3 hit theaters in the past two weeks. We saw both on opening night, then went back for a second helping of Star Wars. So, I gave myself a break and took the time off rather than berating myself for not making it to the barn.

Ashke has been keeping himself busy without me. He let himself into DaVinci’s turn out pasture and spent his two hours hanging with his new buddy. BO said she would try them together again next week, since the woman with Destiny is not returning to the barn, so Ashke is in turn out by himself. If DaVinci and he can go out together while maintaining all feet on the ground, that would be a wonderful thing.

My lesson on Wednesday night with Amanda of Amore Equestrian (I love the play on words and am so happy she finally branding herself!!!!) was very good. We did a lot of canter work and I rode without spurs for the first time in months. Ashke had let me know in the ride before our lesson that he understood what I was asking and that I could lose the spurs for a while (I listened, since he doesn’t usually buck). He has been sharp off my leg and tries very hard. 

BTW, I got my holiday gift (we celebrate some strange mix of Solstice, Santa, and Christmas) and tried it for the first time on Wednesday night in my lesson. I ordered the one that I really loved:

Remember this bit? That was the one I ordered on the 15th and when I hadn’t heard from the company that sells the Garcia bits by noon on the 18th, I gave them a call. And a good thing I did. The mouthpiece that Ashke has been riding is not the current Mona Lisa but rather the Salinas mouthpiece. When I called the woman who manages the sales of the bits, we FaceTimed each other so I could see the bits/mouthpieces in real life. The current Mona Lisa has a bar across the bottom of the hood, rather than it being open with the roller being the lowest part of the mouthpiece. The Salinas is designed exactly like the bit we’ve been riding in. So, I told the woman that I wanted the Salinas mouthpiece. So, guess which bit they had in the Salinas mouthpiece in stock?

The exact bit he’s been going in, but with more bling.

The first night riding in it.

Ashke seems to be very happy with the design. He put his mouth all over it when I first showed him. We are still learning to ride in it - the roller is much noisier than the older bit, and he is always busy moving it with his tongue. I also discovered that even thoughI thought Ashke didn’t like tongue pressure, he dislikes bar pressure even more. 

It looks pretty good on him, too.

Ashke being Ashke

Being a sweetie.

https://youtu.be/qn_4wWKpqwg

I made it out today to ride, with J in tow. I didn’t ride for a long time, but what we did do was good. Mostly, I wanted to check in with him and get a little canter under our belt. His trot work was great and his inclination to spook at the jump standards is decreasing. I’m just ignoring everything and if he gets bulgy, I’m making him do shoulder in at that end of the arena.

Leg Yield

More Leg Yield

Other Side

And Again

Double Slalom

(The second time was better, but we didn’t get video, so you have to take my word for it).

Starting on the other lead

Single slalom.

There was also a second version of this, but J was distracted by barn friends.

Ashke felt lovely today. He just gets better and better and he loves the challenge of the dressage movements we are learning.