Growing Up Quarter Horse; One Year!

A few crappy video stills from a recent ride.
I am starting to feel a bit of a balance change in short moments. More loft.

We can actually bend a circle in the canter now! 

Next week, December 4th, will be one year since Solo came home. With that in the back of my mind I couldn't help but compare how he has been to work with Paloma at this age.

Thankfully, back then DH was gung ho on coming to the barn so I have a ton of footage and photos to look back.

The biggest differences between the two aside from personality and mental capacity which I have covered previously, has been movement, growth and body positioning.

As for movement, Pal was quite a bit more balanced back to front, Solo's "fulcrum" or point of balance is a lot more wobbly. Like balancing on a 2" board versus 6". Pal also didn't offer up moving up and out like Solo easily does but that seemed counter acted by the more natural ability that Pal had to hold herself and self carriage.

Pal was also quite a bit more comfortable to sit however less engaged. She would have been the perfect pony express mount.

Growth. Paloma grew a lot more slowly but also filled out faster and held her weight a little too well. 

Solo at the moment, still continues to grow up at the haunches and not much, if at all, at the wither. Roadster style. Though, I notice Solo's shoulder and muscling to be defining quicker. I wouldn't normally think to compare the growth rates but I feel like it really affects how quickly and what you can introduce at certain times.

Body positioning. Pal didn't have much lateral balance and that even continued into later years. She just didn't have the natural ability to shift her weight diagonally. Solo has that, even too much at times and nearly leaves me hanging horseless. I think this part is conformationally related. Solo's haunches is true quarter despite his more thoroughbred gangly frame. His hip to bum to stifle area is very round and equally proportioned yet his legs are set a bit more mid gravity than Pal who wanted to naturally hang her legs back, hunter conformation style. All in all I think this lends to easily accessible bum power rather than having to prepare, hold and then attacking the task.

Looking at the year as a whole though, Pal was quite a bit more wingy and spooky at this age yet more mature physically and emotionally. She was like the ideal amateur rising 4y/o. Steady but babyish. 

Solo, while an old soul, requires an aware rider. He doesn't find spooks in simple everyday things but makes a big sideways jumping deal if something could be received as an attacker. Ie. Plastic bags blowing towards him.

Pal was also super forgiving, school master type, Solo is easily offended with strong aids or if he thinks he knows what he is doing. "That is NOT haunches out, That! Is leg yield, like THIS!"

In conclusion, I think Solo is going to take me further, despite having a slight lack of height he makes up simply in scope. Though, he is going to make sure I am very precise with both my body positioning and aids. Second chances but begrudgingly.

Probably a good thing for my riding in the end.

I do fear the ease of flying changes..... I don't even know what it is like to have a horse you have to teach changes to....hmm. 

Luckily, the future holds lots of time!

Here is a video from a recent ride. We have been working quite religiously to get some control over our haunches ... Solo clearly finds this tricky and protests a few times, thinking he has better ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFOQkckIs8g