Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

This is still me

 

 Alex and I's last three rides (Friday, Saturday and Monday) have been near perfect.  Friday I lunged him and then rode on the flat, he stretched and then did well spending some time in a frame at all three gaits.  No bucks at the canter and overall very quiet.  Saturday, I put the BOT Back Pad on him (that thing really does heat up!) while I groomed and got him ready then climbed into the saddle without lunging.  Again stretched and then spent some time in a frame at all three gaits.  No bucks at the canter and overall very quiet.  Tonight same routine as Saturday (although it was much hotter and more humid, yuck), he stretched and spent some time in a frame at all three gaits although he did attempt one little buck at the canter to the left, but I think it was because I startled him into a depart and he was attempting to pick up the incorrect lead.  Still, overall very quiet and obedient.

Seriously, I'm over the moon.  He's been just short of perfection and without getting too carried away, I'm thinking to myself, that if this is the way he is when all circuits are go, the sky is the limit. Of course I'm realistic enough to know we have a long way to go and there will be many more green moments, but I'm also just happy with where we are right now :-)  It feels like it's been a long road of ups and downs to get here.  I hope our third "start" is a charm.

On the saddle front, I've found a used County Stabilizer XTR with everything the fitter suggested and only a few cosmetic issues, it should be shipped here for trial later this week, so we'll see!