A different ride and chicken wings

Last week I was offered to twice ride another horse while his owner was away for the week. I rode 'Oly' in 2 lessons with our jump trainer. Oly is like 17.2hh and a Perch or Shire/TB cross. He's HUGE.

After I use a lot of leg to get him going (he rider uses spurs) everything is like in slow motion. I feel very much like I'm riding what a racking horse looks like. The posting trot is slow and deliberate. The canter is all about the front end coming up and the back end super smooth. I felt like I was using a lot less energy (aside from my legs keeping him going) then when I ride Sam. It was super weird and an excellent opportunity to try something new.

We also popped a few 12" jumps (Oly jumps 2'6" with his rider) and that was interesting too. My buddy Amy snapped a shot of us for his owner.

Riding Oly

The next day, I brought my older daughter to the barn and she took some video and photos of me riding Sam. Happened to snap the same jump as the photo with Oly, just with the oxer rail up with Sam.
Hello.... can you say chicken wings?! UGH.

Riding Sam

So today, I jumped Sam again and specifically worked on keeping my elbows in, letting my hips do the angle work and and releasing forward with again, elbows in. Let this be a reminder to me to take a photo/video every few weeks so I can correct any bad habits that creep back into my riding. Esp since my lessons will be very limited.

After riding Oly, barnmate Amy offered to let me ride her mare, Flitzen, this weekend while she's away. Flitzen is a lovely 26yo Holsteiner mare who thinks she's 14. The biggest difference between Flitzen and Sam is Sam will add add add (which I'm very used to) and Flitzen leaves long 99% of the time... like very long (which I'm not use to at all). It will be good for me :)