Freight Train!

Jetta and I covered some good miles today, but she was a bit of a freight train this time! We started out from the trailer with the Bandos saddle, but she was really wiggly and unhappy about something. Three hundred yards down the trail I turned around and headed back to switch saddles thinking she was uncomfortable with something. The only thing different was her saddle pad; I was experimenting with a Suberpad. I got back to the trailer and switched saddles--back to the Black Forest Shasta. We headed out again, this time Jetta was all over the trail, not straight, and even a little resistant to going forward. I felt perched on the saddle. The Suberpad is quite thick, but the cork granules settle a bit in the first few minutes. A hundred yards down the trail I turned around and went back to the trailer again. I switched back to the Bandos, still keeping the Suberpad in place. (That's a lot of saddle-switching!) This time I carried my dressage whip, and AH HA! That's all it took. Jetta was paying attention and going forward again! I am very comfortable in the Bandos and I think she is, too, but she just may not have been happy about going out alone again. I'm not sure but at least our third start was great.

She doesn't LOOK like a freight train!

Jetta walked out happily this time. I had the GPS on my saddle and made some interesting observations as we rode along; her easy, natural walk (not super smooth but very active!) was about 3.8-4 mph, her easy relaxed trot was about 8 mph, and the biggest trot we did today (before the GPS batteries died) was around 10-12 mph. (keep in mind we were alone today....) I am trying to do Long Slow Distance training, but there is nothing slow about it! Jetta was raring to go! We trotted most of the time except where it was too rocky or downhill. We also cantered and galloped a few stretches, and I was happy she stayed fairly relaxed. Relaxed being relative, of course! She actually went like a freight train and she even got to pulling on me. Twice I stopped and we worked on bending and doing a few circles to relax and remind her that this is just easy work, no hurry. It's a new experience for me to ride such a forward horse; I have to get used to the speed! I love it, though! And my little girl is getting fit!

Jetta looked good when we returned to the trailer. She wasn't breathing hard, and she didn't seem tired. She still had plenty of energy, that's for sure! Her boots were perfect again. Her back looked good; I'm going to experiment with the Suberpad some more and play with a few things, but I think it's a great protection pad-provides a panel-like pad under the treeless saddle.

Tomorrow morning Jetta gets to go on a short trail ride with Keno and a lesson pony named Lily--a student's first trail ride and the mom is going along, too.