Woo Hoo~~~ These are the days I don't think anybody could take Chewie from me. Super Tigger Horse!
Short 20 minute warm up - Free lunge & Side reins (5 & 6).
He finally didn't run me into the round pen wall. Everything is dried up enough that the ground doesn't move when he steps on it, which is good.
The number of the day was 2. Two circles of walk, two circles of trot, everything in 2's.
I experienced something I've never felt before in the reins yesterday - light contact. Chewie came up into the bit, and there was almost slack in the reins. I know he wasn't bent 90 at the poll, I could tell. What I did notice, is he wasn't leaning on it. Also, his strides were extended, and light. It was quite incredible. I know 90% of the "good" was because I was balanced & posting quietly. I can feel it in my legs this morning - heels were certainly down, and I was absolutely posting with my calves on him - they're pulled like rubber bands almost ready to snap.
What wasn't good, is the walk to trot transitions to the left were horrid, again. It was just like the lesson. Instead of just going into the trot, he would dive in on the circle, toss his head all around, and basically ignore me. I was asking nice once, then immediately start kicking. I got angry, he got angry, but nobody got hurt. To the right, I didn't have any problems in the up transitions - they were pretty. At the end, I settled for an up transition to the left where he didn't dive in the circle, tossed his head a little, but at least promptly went into the trot.
Overall, a nice ride.
2 comments:
good ride! the feeling when it clicks is almost indescribable!
as I was reading your entry, I had these thoughts, FWIW...
so, what's different between the w-t to the right, vs the w-t to the left? Is left always the difficult side?
would you be unconciously tensing or anticipating his uncooperative reaction to the left.......
focus on calming yourself, and practice your breathing for a few breaths before you ask for w-t left?
I enjoy reading of your success!
and you are making very good progress.... ;)
It's strange - see the next updates I'm getting ready to fill in.. Usually the right side is bad, he'll lean out & be irregular. Then, for a time, the right was good, and the left was bad.
Tuesday, he was fantastic all-around. Yesterday, we just plunked around & relaxed together.
Post a Comment