This last weekend was tolerable, so I set out to work Don Pecos and Ace. My colleague, Michael Scott was down for a visit and we got the marathon vehicle out and plowed through the drifts, braved the chilly wind and worked a new angle of cones. Ace was not wanting to settle down and bend for me, so Michael got in and took him hell for leather through the course. I tried to anchor the vehicle to the ground as best I could while still looking over Michael's shoulder to watch Ace. He was booking through those cones, twisting and leaping like a ballet dancer. It was thrilling! Afterwards, I came to the conclusion that I baby him too much. He went much better with sturdy contact and a more complicated course.
Don Pecos was up next, so I took him through the course as I knew he could: fast and tight. Michael seemed to be much more impressed with me driving Pecos, but I can not take any credit there. Pecos reminds me of a BMW 5 Series advertisement: Part Athlete, Part Genius. He is such a joy to drive through these cones courses: fuel injected, power steering, big engine. But not to diminish Ace's ability, he is a great athlete as well, he is just different, and he has not got the same level of conditioning that Pecos has.
So, we have so much work to do this winter to prepare for combined driving next year, that this weather is an even bigger bore. I'd rather be driving. Oh, well, at least I got my Christmas cookies baked. And I'm halfway through the Manual of Coaching, which should be required reading for anyone interested in hitching a horse to a vehicle. So, snuggle up next to your dog, cat or sweetie and keep the fire stoked.
Kind Regards,
Michelle Blackler
Serendipity
www.hossbiz.com
Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.
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