Cascade Vaulters

With help from Catherine we tried out a third horse at CCEC, Auggie last evening. Most horses, when introduced to vaulting, will tend to respond with some hesitation and trepidation as if to say "This is new! This is different! Is this really what we're supposed to be doing?" Auggie on the other hand reacted as if he were remembering some long lost training, as if he were saying "Ohhhh...... That was a long time ago. What am I supposed to do? Oh yah, I remember." We progressed through the basic introductory moves very quickly. We got though full compulsories at walk including scissors, stand and full flank. We also got some doubles moves in including a stand behind a sitting base and basic seat with seat on neck.

I believe I saw something in Auggie click when Sandy first swung up to box on the way to flag (a move that is distinctly vaulting not riding), as if Auggie figured out that we were vaulting. When asked to "go" from walk with a vaulter aboard, rather then speeding up to trot as most horses might, he went directly to canter in a very classic vaulting transition. He also responded correctly to the "click" and "brrrup" commands typically used on a vaulting circle. Talking with Catherine, I suspect that vaulting was likely part of his early German training. At this point I am quite certain that he has done vaulting in the past, though I can't say to what level. As soon as the lower arena is ready and we can run a full size vaulting circle, I'd like to borrow an upper level canter vaulter from one of the other clubs in our region and find out just how much Auggie knows.