Moving On: Part 3

Frogcatcher Farm

Today the BHB's home base relocated to Frogcatcher Farm in Johns Creek, GA. It's not very close to where I live (a 30 minute drive without traffic or up to an hour with traffic), but the farm is a breathtaking facility with plenty of (irrigated) grassy turnout and Heather Beachem, an up-and-coming dressage trainer, located on site. I could share pictures, but they wouldn't be able to do the facility justice. I think the BHB will try to puff up into a rotund chunk once he's out on grass all day, but we will definitely be working to manage his weight so he can stay looking like a "sleek sporthorse." 

The BHB will get another two weeks of easy riding while his new trainer Heather and I are both out of town quite a bit on work trips. Then the second half of the month will be focusing on working him back into peak show condition so we can have a decent first show on the first weekend of April. I think we will likely enter at least one day of first level classes to get back into the showing groove since he's had a mental and physical break the last few months. If I get really lucky, my first level freestyle might be ready to debut. It was pushed to the side with all the craziness happening lately, but I'm hoping to get back to working on it next week. I have the walk and canter music picked out and very roughly edited, but am still narrowing down my list of potential trot music. 

Three weeks may not be quite enough time to get back the uphill carriage needed for second level, but we may try to do a second level class or two on the second day. The BHB is a star second level horse because he's so solid in all of the lateral work and collected/medium gaits. My canter to walk transitions still need a bit of work, but everything else is pretty solid for me at second level. Most of my issues at second level are caused/amplified by bad positional habits or aids that I haven't quite finished getting rid of, such as getting ahead of the movement with my upper body. My arms are a seemingly never-ending work in progress and definitely reduce the effectiveness of the aids from the bit when my shoulders tense and elbows lock out. Despite all my issues, luckily I do have a pretty decent seat for an adult amateur at my level thanks to Pilates and years of riding.