Selena has been gone for most of the month of July and Solo and I are surviving. Actually, it’s going a lot better than expected and I am thoroughly enjoying the ride on the flat. I am not going to be jumping him and I am not going to be hacking him. I have injured my shoulder and any unplanned or rapid movements of my arm are quite out of the question. As a result, I am only riding in the sand ring and on the flat for the moment. I don’t want to injure my shoulder further before it’s my turn to fly out to Hong Kong so I am being very conservative in my riding.
Solo is a delight. The walk and trot are fabulous and the canter is the best of all. However, when his canter is at it’s most perfect you feel like you are riding a powerful wind that could gust at any given time. The power and the freedom of movement throughout his back and shoulder is almost intimidating in it’s elasticity. He would only have to shrug through one stride and I would be toast LOL!
As it is, Solo has been a perfect gentleman, in fact, one of my favourite horses to ride while my shoulder is incapacitated. He is so very light. Even when he throws in a bit of a wobbly or a buck, his mouth is so soft and light that he doesn’t hurt me in any way at all. Some of the other young horses have taken the odd tug at the bit during a light hearted spook or head shake when fresh and have made me feel quite pale around the edges.
It doesn’t seem that I will be able to take him to a dressage show. There are none suitable for him in our area during the time that I have got the ride (Selena has already warned me not to get too comfy on him). Selena will be whipping him out from under me as soon as she gets back.
He still grumbles about hills. I wonder if it is habit now because he is certainly not weak in his back any more, he has a big round muscled body although he can still pick up a bit more top on his neck. Going uphill is when he really cusses and swears, although I can now keep him round and in an even pace while he cusses. He used to ping pong me all the way up and down if you remember. I have to do a downhill on the way to the arena and an uphill which is quite steep on the way back. On the way back I add another loop to the hill to give his back a good last stretch before I put him away….he hates it 😉
I love riding this horse, he is quick witted and maybe the most athletic horse I have had yet.
