# Hoping for some ~major~ progress with my boy, Major :)



## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

I recently switched my lease to a 4 y/o gelding named Major. He's green, but my instructor has agreed to put some miles, as she calls them, on him since she is the one leasing him out to me. 

He's a very easygoing, laidback horse... and he is also ridiculously lazy. But, he's also quite the character; he can't resist nibbling or licking you when you're around him. If he was given a human stereotype, my instructor and I think he would be the classic "good boy". 

As for his progress, he is fairly good at collecting and extending at the trot, and he's getting better at the canter transitions. We're not aiming for laps around the ring (but we did get 3/4 of one the other night, my second time riding him). I'm hoping that we do good next show season, and my instructor thinks we will. 

Currently, we're doing five minutes of ground work per ride, which is followed by collections and extensions, and lots of canter transitions. We're also doing lots of suppling and bending exercises.

I'm going down to the barn tomorrow, and possibly today, so you'll get some updates (and possibly pictures!) by Monday.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

* December 5, 2010

So, I went down to the barn with my two barn buddies so we could ride. One of my friends has a bad back so she just took some pictures and did showmanship with her mare, while my other friend and I rode for an hour.

Major started out going well, he was actually going off just a squeeze of my leg which made me happy. Though, after the warm up, I did find myself grabbing a dressage whip.

After lots of bending and suppling, we practiced some extensions/collections at the trot and some canter transitions (which needed the aid of the whip, the majority of the time). After awhile, we played "dominos" with my friend, which we eventually stopped due to Major going lazy on us. xD

By the end of the hour, he had worked up a sweat, so I know we did get some work done.

On the ground, I've gotten much better with getting him to trot with no pulling whatsoever, which makes me fairly happy.  He almost ate my phone yesterday too, so mental note *don't get close ups with your cell phone*. xD

Oh, and I tried a little thing on his mane... it turned out cute, but very feminine. xD

Now for some pictures!



























My friend is not the best picture taker, but I'll get my mom to take them next time.


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## rosebud4030 (Nov 3, 2010)

Way cute! Now you have me thinking about doing something like that with Corona...he is a boy too but how fun!


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

*December 16, 2010

I haven't been updated much, but my instructor has been very pleased with his progress. She says his canter has improved beyond her expectations within the two weeks. Major can now canter over poles, and canter full laps.  Of course, a dressage whip is still necessary, but it's proving to be less needed for canter work now.

On the other hand, his trot still needs to be worked on. I'm hoping to do lots of transitions within the gait, and our main goal will be to get him stepping up. As of now, he's roughly one hoofprint behind.. which is decent, seeing as he was two hoofprints behind the first time I rode him.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

*December 26, 2010

I went down to the barn today, and my oh my, does Major ever look handsome in his new royal blue halter! He also got a blue nylon lead rope (w/ stud chain) and a new bridle.. seeing as he needed a new one. The leather on the bridle matches his saddle perfectly, I love it!

I arrived at the barn early in the morning, when my instructor and her dad were doing the barn chores. Due to the horses walking through the aisles, I had to tie Major up in his stall to groom him.. I have learned that he despises it. He had his head flung up in the air and he tried moving around, but it just gives us something to work on.

Now for the riding part, he started out a little bit stubborn and refused to do a side pass for me.. despite doing a perfect one in our lesson on Tuesday. We did get two quality steps, but I dropped the side pass work and moved onto a couple of canters and lots of trot work.

Eventually, at the trot, he was going into frame all by himself! After about 50 minutes, my sister (who is just starting in the sport) got on him for around 15 minutes. He definitely knows who is on his back, he immediately went back to being lazy and he refused to do anything faster than a walk. It took my sister about half a lap of hardcore kicking/cropping to get him going, despite his transitions being quick and smooth when I was riding him. I'd like to get his transitions more consistent, no matter the skill level of the rider.

After she was done, I untacked him in the arena and put on his halter and cooler and led him around to cool him down so that my mom could oil my bridle for me. After he was ready to go back up the barn, I gave him an apple and sent him to be envied by the other geldings. 

My mom got a Nikon D3100 for Christmas, and she made sure to test it out today, so hopefully I can add some more pictures later.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

*January 1, 2011 (Happy New Year!)

Today started out as usual, with the normal grooming/getting ready. I did his mane as though we were going to a show (but with bigger braids) and I put his tail in a bun type thing.

We did lots of transitions within the gait, as recommended by my instructor. By the end of it, Major's neck was covered in sweat, so I'd say he had a good work out. I made sure to put his cooler on so he wouldn't catch a chill, but it felt like summer inside the arena so I don't think it made a huge difference.

There was only one problem, it took me half a lap to get him to whoa. :/ Definitely something to work on, though it might have just been me.. though I'm doubtful.










Isn't he handsome?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Very handsome! Fun to read your progress.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

*January 20, 2011

Holy crap, was Major ever amazing at lessons last night! I got a pack of four navy SMB3s for my birthday, and my instructor continually commented on how professional he looked with them and the matching saddle pad (and cooler). He's definitely spoiled. 

As for the riding, once I got the hang of the new concept, Major did amazing; my instructor couldn't stop saying how good we were both doing.  He was in frame, and was cantering 15m circles without breaking. He worked up a huge sweat, so I walked him out by foot with his navy attire. 

I have a really good feeling about show season 2011, let me tell you.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Sounds awesome! Keep up the good work!


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## PumpkinzMyBaby22 (Jul 5, 2009)

Keep up the great work. He looks like a doll  It sounds like you are having lots of fun and are progressing well. Can't wait to hear more.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

*February 9, 2011

(last night)

I'm really good at updating, aren't I? 

Okay, so my instructor told me to head down to the ring early to lunge him since I had ridden him since Saturday afternoon. It went well, and I'm actually quite good at it... it may also have something to do with me gaining Major's respect.

After I lunged him for a good 15 minutes, I got on. If he wasn't supple, I don't know who is. He was in frame a good 85% of the time. I can't count how many times my instructor said "wow, look at that frame" or "holy, you're doing great, as is Major." 

He did excellent, and his canter transitions were more consistently on the correct lead which probably had something to do more with me and not him.

My instructor and I were both in awe, to say the least.


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## Jore (Dec 4, 2010)

*February 20, 2011

I apologize for not updating, I've been down usually two or three times a week since posting. It'll probably go up to about 5 or 6 in April.

Well, Major has been doing amazing at going in frame. He is consistently keeping his head down every time I ride him. My instructor says that there are many moments where she finds herself saying "wow, he looks amazing!" and a lot of people tell me that they can't believe he is only 4. (going on 5 this summer)

I was down with my barn buddy yesterday, and we were both riding. She was riding the mare that she's leasing, Molly. I decided I wanted to try bareback on Major, so I convinced her to do it on Molly. Strangely enough, she'd never done it before so she was kind of nervous and super excited.

We both were cantering over canter poles by the end of the hour (okay.. like hour and twenty minutes, but we did a fifteen minute warm up). I ended the ride on a good note by keeping him cantering over the three poles while riding bareback. He goes over them easily, and almost always has perfect foot placement.

Show season 2011, we're gonna take you by storm.


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