Downhill Success

What a difference two days makes. 

I developed a plan for downhill work last week that included stopping Tweed and backing him up the hill, but I hadn’t put it to the test yet. 

So, today was all about hill work: little hills, big hills, medium hills that descend to the equestrian camp area where they’re setting up for this weekend’s regional ETS competition. 

Before we started hills, I did some collection work in the arena to see if he still had that floaty trot going on. He did. I attribute his improved collection to improved body strength and body confidence. 

In fact, he even lost a little weight. Yay, Tweed!

I can fasten his back cinch one full notch up. 

We didn’t ride with anyone else today, and quite honestly, that makes trail work easier. There’s so much more you have to deal with when you ride with others, and that will be my next post. 

But today was just awesome. I could not have asked for a more thoughtful horse on hills. When I asked him to stop, he stopped, even when he slid for a few inches. When I asked him to backup the hill, he did that, too. Every hill I rode him to was the same. 

I spoke to my trainer afterwards (ran into her as I was pulling out), and she agreed with me that he has built up strength and body confidence from riding out and doing hills. The answer to hills is more hills. Lots and lots of hills. (We’re going to have a lesson next week on the most challenging hills at RSP. One of them is the ROCKY horror picture show of hills!) 

The more quietly he descends and ascends them, the more he realizes they are nothing to fear, which lowers his anxiety. Yes, Tweed, slow and steady wins the race!

Exposure, fitness, and diet for the win. 🏆