My 5 Things: For the Sassy Pony

When Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, was here for a clinic this past weekend, I asked her if I should bother taking Izzy to schooling shows. It's not like I really want to, but I wondered if I needed to. 

You all saw this moment, right? Which, by the way, is actually one of my new favorite photos. The dude's got a super sexy badonkadonk! But yeah ... this is why I don't want to show him right now. We've got some work left to do.

I'll take me some of that!

Chemaine felt my time (and consequently, money) would be better spent cleaning up some of the sassiness that Izzy thinks is his to share. I agreed. So for now, there are five things to work on before we're ready to hit even a schooling show.

Inside hand crossed over the pommel.

My Five Things for a Sassy Pony:
​1. Supple Izzy's back with just one seat bone at a time.
2. Get a stretch down before changing the bend.
3. Get more inside bend when he gets spooky and then firm up that outside rein.
4. Cross the inside rein over in front of my pommel to encourage him to release the inside rein.
5. Discipline the felonies while letting the misdemeanors slide.

The Result!

When I rode Izzy on Monday, I made sure to run through everything on the list. While it was pretty warm, and he was well worked from the day before, he wasn't totally push button. He actually gave me some cheekiness which let me use tips four and five.

In a 20 minute ride, he obediently walked every inch of the arena, did a number of changes of bend across the diagonal at the trot, and picked up both canter leads without too much fuss. To the right, I crossed my inside hand across the pommel for a few strides, but he gave up the fight almost immediately.

My goal, while pretty dang lofty, is to have no "felonious" moments the next time we see Chemaine for a lesson or clinic. Yesterday was a bit of a litmus test. Even with a day off, which normally elicits plenty of sass, he toed the line and was well behaved.
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Will these strategies work well enough to convince him that it's easier to do it my way? I hope so, but if not, I know for sure that we are getting really close to that yummy, chewy center!