Tuesday September 8th, 2026

After the extremely fun and exciting War Horse weekend, Hanz made it home safe and sound! He was super happy to be home and outside with his friends that he has made in the pastures, just pleasantly grazing and calling Quail Roost home. I decided to let Hanz have the day off on Monday, and then on Tuesday we were right back in action! I think that horses do best with lots of consistency. Yes, maybe he could have had another day off, but I found that Hanz does best if we keep our rides super light but really consistent day in and day out. Also, I love horses and can’t seem to keep away! Why would you want to? God’s masterpiece is undoubtedly a good horse! I decided it would be a great day to work more on our dressage! My comments on the test showed exactly what I was expecting … “needs more connection and bend.” That is almost laughable in some ways because that is exactly what my trainer loves to tell me every time we ride together! I really need to stop thinking so hard sometimes and just listen to what people tell me. I think it’s my fiercely creative personality that drives me to independently trying to have all the answers. If it’s one thing horses teach us, it’s that you can’t win this game of life, or the game of horses, by yourself. It takes an army. Isn’t that a beautiful thing? I don’t have all the answers. Nobody does when it comes to the riddle of horses. This is one thing that makes it so fun, so difficult, and so rewarding. We went into the dressage arena and worked on serpentines and bending lines in the arena to help Hanz work over his back. I took up more contact so that my bit wasn’t too far away and loosey-goosey! This is also something I try hard to work on. It’s okay to have a shorter rein, as long as the horse is still working with his hind legs and swinging over a lifted and engaged back! I sometimes take working a horse from back to front as meaning, “don’t have contact,” which isn’t correct either. As I worked on the circles, I worked Hanz on getting him to relax his back and keep working forward into the contact. As I felt Hanz lift and swing his back, I asked Hanz for a little flexion of the poll with the seat and inside rein, and Hanz came into contact with the bit marvelously! I was so happy with that result! I was miffed, honestly! For so long I struggled to keep Hanz in better balance with my position, but now I could feel Hanz softening to the bit marvelously! I was shocked. As soon as I started paying attention to the back of the horse, I could feel Hanz working better to the bit! Connection to the bit really does live in the back of the horse! We ended the ride after a couple of long canter strides because I felt like I was making my point with the horse. I always try to keep my rides to the point. I don’t feel like it’s right to drill the horse until they wear out. They’ve learned nothing at that point. I dismounted in the dressage arena and walked Hanz back, as it was super hot outside. Sometimes I dismount in the dressage arena, and other times I get off wherever; it fluctuates like the North Carolina weather. All in all, we had a successful ride!