Having sat down and analysed videos (pulled them apart, groaned a bit, tutted a lot) today's lesson was focused on me and my weaknesses (of which there are many!)
Chiro and physio have worked blooming hard to get me mobile in left side of neck, shoulder and hip, I am definitely stronger, fitter and more mobile but the same old things keep cropping up...my inability to move left leg back independently of right leg, a tendency to collapse/concertina through the right side, a very strong right hand and a tendency to drop head to right side...could go on, is good for a starting point
I also chatted to trainer about not feeling like I 'know' when I am twisted or shifted, the only way I know my left leg is in the right position for lateral work for instance is that it hurts!!! Feel is a work in process for definite!
Today we spent the warm up in walk, working on those basics, the 'feel' of hindlegs moving into the tracks of the front legs, can I 'feel'both seat bones? are my shoulders rolled back and down? am I tall through my core? Is the core engaged with that feeling of forward? Am I sitting deep? Am I moving with the horse, not against him? Is the weight down through my elbows and into my hips? Are my hands forward? All before I even think about the wonderpony!!!
Many, many changes of rein later, I began to 'feel' a little more...pony became a wriggling racing snake in an attempt to get me back to how he is used to be ridden....only then did I know I was maybe doing something right!! 
Collecting up the walk, encouraging the energy but not speed, we worked on transitions, maintaining the straightness of both myself and him...much, much much harder than it might sound!!Walk to halt so much more engaged, walk to trot, really coming on. If the rider looks up and focuses on the same principles from walk, it goes well, lovely soft active transitions both up and down
Once we had that we worked on the medium trot. By golly, I can really feel his strength coming on in leaps and bounds. A good trick for us is the slight outside flexion coming round the corner to prepare, that way I know we have absolute straightness across the diagonal or down the long side. Looking up and really swinging those hips forward, hands down and soft, we are really getting one or two nice strides
as soon as he begins to lose balance, I have to be quick to collect and rebalance and the ask again...really feels like it won't be long before we can manage a good (for us) medium. On and back along the long side, focusing on staightness, collecting on my seat, so really focusing on the softness in the neck, slight outside flexion in the corners, then repeat on other rein. Felt good!
The the exact same principles in canter. Sit up, engage the core, hands down and together so I cannot rely on them to 'steer', therefore I HAVE to use my legs, seat and core to maintain rhythm, tempo and direction....heavens above my brain was exploding a bit. I have always had more of a problem in canter with all my horses, but I truly believe it is because I have never really learnt to RIDE it, just always asked and sat and hoped for the best!!
COunter canter today. Fabulous for getting him to engage those hind legs. Asking for counter canter on the straight side, great for ensuring he is on the aids
Beginning now to think about riding the counter canter with more straightness than outside flexion. Bizaarly felt better on the left rein today,balanced, controlled with still a little work to do on the true softness in the neck. Right rein was more difficult to pick up, so had to take it from the centre line, but again he worked his socks off, kept the corners a gentle curve, up the long side, round the short and finall across the diagonal to 'true' canter' which immediately felt lovely 
Finally back to the trot, working on an active and forward downwards transition, with more work on the medium trot to finish...soooooooo pleased he still had enough in the tank after that hour of hard work, for it to feel just as good as the earlier trot work....
Lots and lots to work on this week.
Hack tomorrow, recap on Thursday, canter poles on Friday and a well earned day off on Sunday
No comments:
Post a Comment