It’s a nice view from the saddle, and he is going to be a fun journey I think.
Yesterday I spent most of my ride on transitions, and he certainly became sharper after a while.
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OMG this picture is priceless! The look on both faces!
Ooh! He’s a cutie— nice bone, sweet face and I bet he’s smooth and willing. Keep updating us in your journey.
all that’s missing here is the halo over his head. 
He is willing, to certain boundaries, he gets flustered it seems when you insist that your idea is best. I think he has had a fairly easy life up until now, mainly trail riding and some “playing” at stuff. Having to use his body, and respond quickly are both kind of hard. So we have to do lots of long rein walk to decompress and think about life, then gather him up and try again.
Not sure just how much he has been ridden this summer, but he feels like he runs out of try after about 30 minutes. Mentioned it to coach who said “Warmblood? Sounds about right” In her defence she rides Arabs, who can go all day without issue.
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I love him! Great bone! That pic of him in the wheelbarrow is hysterical. The look on his face is great. I can’t wait to see more of him.
Not sure how I managed to delete this one??
An insight into the mind of KBC.
Our first WE lesson after CNC, and sharing our high points, coach said hers was listening to two judges talking after my test and saying “she’s obviously been well coached” my brain immediately fills in “no natural talent” I did hit myself upside the head, and remember it was ME out there doing it. Just as the icing on the cake, I was looking at the published show results, to see if Enzo had a recording number…he didn’t, and was scrolling through the dressage scores. I was kind of surprised that my 67.31 was the fifth highest of the day, across all levels, felt even prouder of the farm pony and me.
Enzo and I are getting to know each other, and I truly feel my riding as already improved riding him. He is a lot like Jet, in that he is never going to anticipate what comes next, but once he gets what you are asking, he will give a real honest try. His mum had a lesson on him this week, and found him a lot sharper than he has been, all those transitions are paying off. He has at last learned that while happy hackers get to stop to poop, dressage horses gotta keep right on trucking, and he can indeed poop while moving.
The best ride though, I eventually went out and got the barn kind of too myself, just one person getting ready to leave. As I was leading Enzo into the arena, she asked “how is he on his own in there?” It didn’t dawn on me until much later, that my reply, “I don’t know, he’ll probably be fine, I’ll find out” reflected just how far I have come. It’s such a relief not to have to fight the nerves, take the Rescue Remedy or whatever, to go and just do it. Even the fact that Enzo was really offended by the fact someone had left a plastic jump block, on top of the bridge, which clearly indicated the presence of a troll, didn’t phase me, at last really understand how to ride past these things and deal with it.
We have entered a fun show for Halloween, we’ll see how that goes.
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The other day I fed Enzo in that little bowl, inside the corner fixed manger, he let me know when he was done, chucked it out with great intent.
Last Monday I persuaded my friend to ride with me in the big outdoor arena, WOW, the boy has BIG movement outside, it’s fantastic. Shame it snowed the next day, didn’t last, just a warning shot of what is to come. I thought I had thrown my back out in one enthusiastic lope depart
Then this last weekend was the Halloween Show, it was only a couple of days before that I realized that I hadn’t done any obstacles on him before, oh well, what could possibly go wrong? Answer of course, nothing he was great, we got 66% in EOH and 63% in dressage, ended up coming third, not bad for first time out.
I was a little disappointed that no one got my clever costume, until they explained that a night on tne tiles isn’t an expression anyone knew
Then, if a real Enzo moment, what’s scarier, a 10’ inflatable ghost, or chop buckets? Yup, chop buckets, the noisy ghost didn’t get any more than the smallest of side eyes, chop buckets, obviously were hiding Enzo eating monsters.
The judge asked what breed he was, and when I replied Warmblood, she wanted to know what type. So I checked with his owner, turns out he is registered as a Canadian Warmblood, with Westphalian on the top side, and Hanoverian with a dash of TB on the bottom. I am so sad I didn’t know he was registered before I registered him with WeCan, his registered name is Fiarenzo, which I totally adore.
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For the first time ever, I really understand being a tire kicker time waster.
Someone near us has her gorgeous Friesian listed, for genuine reasons. He is solid level 2, schooling 3 at dressage, trail rides, seen cows, broke to drive. I would LOVE to ride this boy, but knew i couldn’t afford him in any lifetime, especially when I found out his price tag…mid fives, which I’m guessing is $50K 
Now while I would never go pony ride on a horse I have no intention of buying, I do get it. But then I was thinking, even if I had that sort of money, would I buy him? Answer, probably no, because I worked out I would be trying to buy Braam, and not just a Friesian, and same as I can never find another Gibbs, Fergie you have to look for something to love in their own right.
Meanwhile loving my rides on Enzo, he is a really nice boy, it’s fun trying to introduce him to the dance that is dressage, he doesn’t quite get it all yet. He had his first ever body work yesterday, no issues, just checking him over, and releasing his tight spots.
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What can we say about yesterday?
A) it totally sucked, first real snow of the winter.
B) it was a great day, because Enzo’s owner defied the weather and hauled her youngster, Enzo, and a couple more from the barn to a play day at a nearby arena.
It was so worth it, we had great fun, playing in a heated arena, with indoor stalls, and they did a nice BBQ for lunch. The morning was spent playing with the obstacles, Enzo was, of course a star, although he didn’t fancy the teeter totter much to start with, and flatly refused to trot through the pool noodle push. After a brief inspection walking through was fine, but big NOPE to trotting. The afternoon we all got to do two timed runs through the course, and the aggregate time decided your placing. I was delighted to come 3rd, and got awarded the cutest trophy out considering some were loping the course, and we trotted it I was surprised, but he was handy through all the obstacles, and obviously takes big strides.
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As usual, your updates bring joy! I so look forward to them. You always look so happy!! Enzo looks pretty pleased with himself too. The amount of confidence you must inspire in him to do those obstacles— well done.
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First, yes I’m happy, for lots of reasons.
First had a health scare recently, same symptoms as my dad had when he got cancer, but after a Gastrophoscopy, I was relieved to find I have a large hiatal hernia, and a Schatzki’s ring. So much better than cancer, they opened the obstruction while they were there, and things are so much better now.
Second, while they were trying, and failing, to insert an IV for me, one of the nurses looked at me tattoo, “oh did you use to ride?”
“Use to? USE TO?, nope, I still ride, as much as I can, and still learning.
Building on the gift Braam gave me, I don’t feel fear when I ride Enzo, I can ride through what the throws at me, which is nothing alarming Also and this is new, I don’t feel frustrated when things aren’t falling into place. Braam made me believe I was a competent rider, but Enzo really shows my deficiencies, but at the same time I do have the ability to help him learn to dance.
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