Fly, like an Eagle

So here's an update for those of you wondering about the horse-related things.

Eagle's settled in well. The first day he was a bit 'up', when we were moving up, but in the first half an hour he had laid down and drank water, and all.
Needless to say, he didn't have a problem.

Riding.
Now, that was interesting. He was certainly exhuberent. The first day I rode him in the french link snaffle and he was 'okay'. Not great, we had to find our brakes. That was a bit difficult, he was all 'gogogo!' Didn't work so well. There was no spooking though, no silliness.
The next two days, I put him in his elevator bit. :o

He didn't think that was friendly. Unfortunately. Again, there was no stupidity. He's been a bit 'up' (stopping is still optional) but there's been no spooking. He gets grouchy when he thinks I ask too much of him.

The director of the program here really likes him. Apparently Eagle reminds her of her Grand Prix horse. Says he's alarmingly athletic - we just need to get his mind to catch up with what he's doing. Get him to settle down and stop worrying so much.
I guess she wants us to experiment with bridles (a figure eight instead of a flash & noseband) and maybe work with a different bit because the elevator just lets him tuck his nose and get behind the vertical - something he does & will look for an excuse, to do. Bahumbug.

There was only one "Whee let's take off!" moment in the first lesson I had with the director (Sam). And apparently she liked the fact that A: I stopped, B: I didn't run anyone over and C: I stayed on.
Hah. I win.

Today though, we've had riding evaluations with Jill and Michelle, the two women who will (probably) end up being my instructors. We were cantering from walks, halts, on long walls, down center lines, counter canters, extended canters and collecting, no stirrup trot work.. blah.

Eagle and I, apparently, need to work on cantering on walls/ down center line. He didn't want to pick up the 'right' lead when we were going right, and down center line, when I asked for right, then left (different times) he didn't pick them up. I think it's got something to do with my hands. I ask him to bend before I go, but.. no dice.

I was surprised that we got the counter-canter. It seems as if we shouldn't be able to, if he's not responding to my canter aids on walls, but. Hey. Maybe my bend was more exaggerated? I'll be playing with that.

We have an 'excellent' extended canter. Trick? I don't have to ask him to extend and go forward. I just let go of the reins and woosh! We go! The key is not to let him get too forward, because we had to collect down the short wall.
We had two really nice extensions, but the third time he was all. "NO. DONT WANT TO STOP. YOU CANT MAKE ME COLLECT!" And we started doing flying lead changes. = me, confused. Because. Uh. Seriously, horse. You don't do those when I (think I?) ask for them. So.
More work on that, too.

He lost a bit of weight in the first two weeks, but has slowly been putting it back on. Jolie (Yes! As in, my old mare, Jolie!) is the barn manager. She and I have been working on a feeding shedule for him so he'll have more to eat, more times. More like grazing instead of three structured meals. it seems to be working.
He's also on a supplement, "OB". Omega Bran Fatty Acids. The fish oil stuff that we all (sometimes!) use. It'll give him calories without the carbs, like grain would. Carbs = bad. We don't want Eagle to have more energy.

Sam (director of english program) wanted me and another girl to come in for private lessons once a week. I thought, "Oh, no big deal.." but apparently other people have been asking her for them and she's been saying no. She works with the seniors, show students and IHSA team, so I guess it's a huge compliment that she wants to work with us?

We'll be playing around with bits and bridles, though, to see if anything works better with 'stopping'. Teehee. Good fun, brakes are!
So tomorrow (thursday 9/4) is our first private lesson, at 12. I expect it will be hard, but anything less would be a dissappointment. I really miss having lessons, though. Someone to tell me what I need to work on beyond what I think.

The current things I've been keeping in my mind: Tuck my seat in & pelvis up, to avoid bracing my back.
Breathing.
Take AND give on the reins. Don't just hold.
Keep lower back loose.
Don't look down.
Keep shoulders back & rotate them when I turn / change directions.

Overall, Eagle's been really, really good. He's not spooky, not bolting. He's made some friends. The horse next door is an import from Europe. Meg, his owner, lived in Slovakia for four years, and she brought him 'home' with her. They have the same face! When they get turned out together, they kick it up a bit, run around.
I'll get pictures of it and see if I can't host them so others can see that my pony is happy and healthy.

I haven't killed him yet!
<3
The one thing.. that is absolutely remarkable, though, is how he responds to me. He let me clip his ears (slight protest) his whiskers (no problem) bridlepath (annoyed) and beard (not an issue). He comes to me when I call, even if there's grass. He says 'hello'. He stops when I stop, goes when I go, and adjusts his step to mine.
I think he's been looking to me to be calm and confidant with this move. He 'settled' just fine, but he's also just starting to really adjust. He's going off of me, and I feel that now, more than ever, he is 'my' horse and I am 'his' person.

Being able to see him every day is an amazing thing. Even though I'm hundreds of miles from home, from my family, friends, and a town I knew, from roads I could navigate and stores I'm familiar with..
Every time I go to the barn, even on a bad day, he's there. He says hello, he'll let me snuggle him, kiss him, hold him.
Even if I'm not 'home', I brought one of the most important pieces of 'home' with me, here.
It doesn't make the missing, go away.

But in the time I can spend with him, it makes it that much better.