Speedhumps; A Baby Horse Story.

"You don't have to see the whole staircase to take the first step"

"Did you see what I did today!? I jumped. Imma like superman! No?"

Today was the day. I felt it. I knew it.
I didn't have a whole lot of plans for today when I first got to the barn. I knew I wanted some form of pole work and something easy and simple, it has been a bit of a week for Solo after going to his first show, well since he was a foal anyways. I tend to feel Solo's mental state now, somehow, it just comes.
Solo had a few days off after the show, had a just barely dawn w/t/c hack outside Wednesday where he nailed a walk to canter transition, getting the lead. Before being eaten by mosquitoes... me too!
There is nothing like looking behind you and seeing a black swarming mass swimming towards you in the fog.

Today I just felt like something different, something to rev his engines....
I came up with nothing. Except. Maybe I could turn the three trot pole, 9ft to another pole into a wee teeny crossrail? That is exciting! The last time I had a serious jump school, aside from stealing Thunder earlier this year was the night before Pal left in November.
Mind you, this would not be a serious jump school but a step in the right direction is one step closer, yeah?

There I went, I set a three trot pole to a mini crossrail. I told myself, he just had to go over it a couple times without sillies and without killing me.

We warmed up with a few trot transitions, really trying to stretch out that right side which constantly feels like a force against my left leg and left rein. We did spirals, smaller deeper circles, giving and taking while maintaining outside leg for direction seeming to be the best success.
And then we just went for it.
Solo came in all workmanlike, "I do this all day" type, trot, trot, trot and then I felt the itty bitty speed hump and we kept trotting away all "yeap, we just nailed it".

Our jump extraordinaire. Over fences life... for what feels like years from now. Boo yah.

It took me a second to realize I was totally riding defensively and yet Solo clearly didn't give a rats behind about the change.

We came through twice more, got the same result. Not really any sort of jump, but a little hump in the step. All that is really warranted for the size.

Solo got mad pats, my jumping hunger satiated for a few months until we can actually start over fences and we finished the day with a bit of work on moving from shoulder-fore to shoulder-in. He tends to confuse the aids and anticipate often asking "are you sure you didn't mean this...?"
Mentally, I get the feeling that he hasn't quite gotten to the stage for this but at some point, I need to push his envelope every now and again.

Double fist pump for a good ride, AND Solo moved into a bigger gullet in my saddle. Thank goodness I opted for this option!