Amazed

*Warning-post filled with craptacular quality of pictures taken while in a sickness induced haze combined with awe and a general lack of focus. They'd be good if it weren't for that. You can still see how lovely the horse and rider looked together though :)

I have been pretty sick the last few days and just wasn't able to ride Beefs. I feel like a whimp, but it feels like there is a rock in my chest and I can't freaking breath. Just tacking a horse up makes me feel exhausted and cleaning stalls is the absolute worst (I wasn't having to clean stalls until we got more horses in last week). Needless to say, I'm so drained by the end of the morning that laying down is about all I care to do.

So thankful and lucky to have a friend here that is a good rider!

Anyway, enough of my whining. Since I haven't been able to ride, I had my friend ride Beefs for me yesterday. She rides hunters and jumpers and is a very good rider. No, I'm not one of those dressage people that thinks h/j riders can't flat a horse (there are all kinds of riders out there that can't do good basic flat work, I don't judge someone by what discipline they ride). A good rider is a good rider and can handle solid flat work. Honestly, I think that a lot of dressage horses could benefit from having a good H/J on them every once in awhile. The basics are the same and they are good about keeping the horse in front of their legs, riding the horse into their hands, and not forcing the frame.

He looks alot taller without my giant self on him.

Beefs was really relaxed from the beginning. I thought he might be a little fresh, but he was really chill from the get go. The little guy has gotten so much more professional in the last month, I don't know why I was even worried about it. They walked, trotted, and cantered with Beefs staying through and steady in the connection. She asked if he would be okay with her cantering him in two point. I told her he actually really likes to be ridden in two point so there shouldn't be any issues. Beefs loved it.

The traitor looks pretty happy, as you can see. He was swishing his tail because of being bombarded by all the nasty ass bugs that no spray on the planet can seem to ward off, but he was definitely enjoying himself.

Watching Beefs, I was beaming with pride. In the past couple of months, he has gone from a pencil-necked wiggle worm with a bit of an ADD issue to looking like a horse that people would actually want to ride. He was through, uphill, and balanced. It looked like she could pop him over a significantly sized fence at any moment without missing a beat. He reminded me of some of the really good jumpers I got to work with in Ocala. Beefheart looked like the real deal. Oh shit!

They looked awesome out there!

Obviously, this gives no indication of whether or not Beefheart actually has any talent for jumping. I've only popped him over fences a couple of times and that was in a dressage saddle over jumps that were lucky to be 2'. He went over them without hesitating, but after the first couple of times he decided they weren't worth actually putting much effort into. I'm thinking he would be the type to develope a decent form through lots of gymnastic work more than coming by it naturally. What I do know is that Beefs is super athletic, has a great mind, is smart, and tries very hard to please. He has become very trusting of whoever is riding him and I think he would do anything for the rider as long as they are fair to him. Beefs lives for being rewarded.

He's finally starting to get some muscle.

My friend really enjoyed riding Beefs. I was once told that you've done your job when someone else can get on your horse for the first time and get them to perform well. When she got along with Beefs so spectacularly and then said I've done a good job with him and that he really tries hard to please, it really felt like I've been doing the right things with my horse. My friend is honest enough to say something if she thought he needed work, so it was good to not get any negative feedback. She is a very patient and quiet rider, so I figured they'd get along. I never dreamt he would go THAT well for her though (the emphasis in that statement being on him and the training I've done on him, not her). Maybe, after the show, it would be worth him going for a jumping lesson. Or two.