The late second year summary

Like everything else right now, the second year summary is a little late. I should have written it in september, like last year.

This is a copy of the first year summary:

• Crispin now knows that haltering is a fun thing and is very easy to catch no matter if he's out on pasture or just in the paddock. (Something I couldn't dream of doing before he came to Münster.)
• He leads like a true gentleman (walk or trot, halt, over poles, little jumps, tarp, bridges, in the ring or on the trails). He stops and leg yields in hand too and will do a TOF and TOH.
• He loads (well, Christina achived that but I haven't undone the training ;-) )
• He lunges (walk and trot, canter on the lunge doesn't work as well yet).
• He knows bit and bridle, saddle pad and surcingle and blanketing.
• He ties well and stands very well when tied. 
• He stands for farrier and vet and for grooming (of course).

It's weird. Even though I feel like we accomplished quite a bit during the last 12 months it seems there is hardly anything to add to last years list.

Second year's training:

• I backed Crispin
• He knows how to walk, trot, halt under saddle
• His brakes are pretty solid
• Steering is pretty solid at the walk but needs work at the trot
• We did a short trail ride (the plan is to do a lot more of those in the future)
• We did canter a couple of times (on the track at the old barn) 
• Lunging has become much better. Canter is still his biggest issue, he always offers but still can't hold it up on a circle. But I'm sure he'll come around to it once he's ballanced enough to canter under saddle.
• He knows the horse walker at the new barn.

What we really need at this point is practice. I have to get on him on a regular basis and I need to get to know him as a riding horse. In the past there have been weeks between rides and it always felt a little like the first ride, with very little room for actual progress.

Whenever I did ride Crispin he has been very good, but even though I was always being very cautious. I just don't feel like I know him yet. I'm always staying way inside our comfort zone. I know this will have to change eventually but I'm not quite ready for that yet.