Sunday, December 15, 2013

12.14

Harley, more dressage.  I loaded up a play list for the audio lessons, and hopped aboard.  What I didn't realize at the time was I loaded the entire album, and not just the playlist.  The lessons began, and continued on, and after about the fourth subject change, I realized I played something incorrectly. 

An hour had passed.  Oops.  No wonder Harley was fighting me towards the end there. 

We worked on...
Basic bit connection - the part I got the most out of was reminders to bend at the elbows, and stay connected - no floppy reins
Head tilt to the outside - one of Harley's habits.  Fixed by bending in, bending out, asking for straight.  Seemed to work pretty good
Serpentines and bending at the trot - reminders to get off the circle and be somewhere else in the arena

He had one hard spook at the harsh wind, or the boogeyman, who knows what, at the canter, and tried to dump me.  Remembering I still don't have a fence around the property (thanks neighbor for taking your time there), I hung on, and actually remembered to grab the "ohsh!t handle" on my saddle.  Hung on, stuck with it, and sent him right back to work. 

Colder weather came in yesterday mid-day, and hopefully things will be calmer today.  I'm also hopeful the neighbor will tone it down today in his fence build, and I can get a jump-saddle 2-point day and squeeze a couple of X's in there as well.  Much to work on.


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