Highboy Finds a Stretchy Trot

I had several good training sessions today, but my favorite was with Highboy.  He's been dying to get out and play with me every day, and I rode him Saturday and this afternoon.  We went to the arena despite some pretty stiff wind, and I lunged him first.  Only one rambunctious kick, and then he said he was ready to ride.  I got on and we warmed up (with the dogs alternately cheering and pouncing on dirt piles in search of rabbits).

Once Highboy was really focused on me and thinking, I actually got some haunches stretching/back lifting/head dropping/nose blowing/stretchy trot 20m circles!  I've been waiting for a ride like this since I got him nearly two years ago.  It's been a long road with this big kid to get him sound and working well.  Each time he would start to make real progress he would hit another growth spurt and we'd be starting all over again trying to regain his balance and coordination as he acclimated to his new body.  Today felt like a real milestone.  Hurrah for the late bloomer!

After our great ride in the arena, I turned Highboy loose in the round pen so he could play over the cross-rail.  He thought that was fun, too. I just stand in the middle taking video and the dogs wrestle in the sand behind me while Highboy does his thing!  You can watch his video here:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206364069558052