tacking this horse up is difficult for a person with both hands...and let me tell you, getting a saddle up to his back (which is slightly above my head) with one hand is no easy feat. luckily i am quite strong. i was already warm by the time i mounted!
right away, Brie told me to get Cruz marching forward instead of plodding along. it's imperative with a horse like that to get their attention straight away so you don't have to beg for it later. i bumped him with both spurs, one quick kick and he immediately perked up and nearly trotted off. then i quieted and allowed him to walk nicely forward into a frame. Brie was impressed (surprised?) at his responsiveness to me. really i don't see how everyone thinks he's such a lunk! as of yet i haven't experienced any laziness or obstinance from this boy!
we did the usual bending and counter bending each direction and then moved into the trot. at first we did 20 meters at A, E, B, and C to get our horses moving off our inside legs and bending around them, as well as on the bit and in a round frame. Cruz needed a couple wake up bumps to get a quality forward trot, but again Brie complimented the responsiveness i got out of him.
it's interesting going between those 2, Ruby is easier to collect (in a sense) because she is smaller and more upright, where Cruise is a tank of a horse, very long and used to a jumper's frame (lower and more stretched out). Ruby is more sensitive (so they say) and Cruz makes you work to get what you want. this point however, i disagree with. for me i feel that Cruz is very sensitive, but not overly so. once he knew i meant business he didn't try at all to get out of doing work. Cruz is easier in the sense that he has more training and experience than Ruby, but over all they are just 2 completely different rides. this is great for me because one teaches me how to teach her, and the other teaches me by testing my own knowledge and conviction.
i really love Cruz's canter. it is very smooth and a huge stride..but cantering down the longside he doesn't pull like Ruby does. Ruby gets very strung out and nearly pulls my arm off at times (we're getting better) but Cruz is easier on my arm and shoulder. he likes to stretch out, but he's more of a leg workout than upper body workout! i have to really hold him together with my thighs to keep him collected. it's a really cool feeling to "jump him up into the bridle" and feel his hind end come up underneath. i guess he's just so big that every move feels monstrous!
i actually had to break in the middle of my canterwork so someone could grab my a water. it was that hot and dry. i felt like i couldn't breathe! but then we continued on, and wrapped up at the canter with brie having me do 10m circles. this forces Cruz to be more upright and collected, and forces me to really use my body to steer him. it's hardest to the right lead when my lack of strength in my outside leg allows him to bow out through the left rein. i have to crank my right shoulder back (which is naturally pulled forward by only using my right hand on the reins) and be really serious about getting that circle accurate for Cruz to know what i mean. the first attempt ended up being more like a 6m circle (almost a pirouette! lol) and Brie said it was lucky that he was able to do it. i chalk it up to his showjumping days where he'd have to make some really tight turns.
doing the 10m circles really did help his canter on the straight aways, he held himself more upright in a dressage frame and definitely listened to me more! all in all, it was another great ride; and i'm really excited at the prospect of growing more with him. we'll see when i am asked to ride the notorious Mambo! until then i'm enjoying the pair of chestnuts. complete opposites in every way, but equally helpful in my learning.
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