I hear you think I'm crazy

The small successes seem to make riding, as a sport. It's not about huge strides. We can't measure them, unless we really look at videos of our riding progression. Or maybe that's just me as a rider. I don't really feel 'progress' through time.

One day, it isn't there.
The next, it is.

Today, 'it was there'. Eagle's been at FMF (Fox Meadow Farms) for a week, now. He got his feet done (yayyy!) on monday, he (and I) have yet to have any lessons.

But today, we took the first step.

Yes, we're still a dickhead at the mounting block. Surprise surprise. I'm hoping that will come 'sooner' rather than 'later', though. I'm getting tired of looking like an idiot, there.

But our real progress was at the canter, today. Disregarding the softening and flexing (I consider that a part of him settling down again)... we had it.

Eagle's canter, previously, has been like.. skipping. Horrible. Awful! Impossible. Fast, he leans and braces on my hands and is just overall unpleasent. It's uncomfortable, disjointed and just impossible.

But today? I asked him to canter to the right-his hard direction-and did a circle and ended it. That's what I've been doing, just to say "I've done it". But then I went to the left.. and I let him go. That's when I looked up at the mirror on the wall we were heading towards.
I halfhalted, and even though it didn't feel like much, I saw his front end lift and settle back.

So, like any teenager intrigued by something?

I did it again.

and again and again and again.

He was coming up under himself and rocking back, collecting and actually responding.

Our first triumph.
Yeah, you may think I'm crazy. It's a canter, whoppee.
But this? This goes right next to 'steady trot rhythm' for achievements.

I'm stoked.
(And tomorrow? mwahaha. Tomorrow, 10 AM central, Eagle gets his ass handed to him by Diane*).

*Refer to "The People Involved".