Thursday - Try helps trim branches

Putting it to purpose: 

Try was voted most likely to succeed in being our ladder to trim tree branches in the ring. She was a champ--super helpful, moved easily to where she needed to be, then stood still, even when a few branches/leaves fell on her head. Thank you Try!!

Today Try and I rode:

For her: fitness--first real day back with walk/trot and canter. She was full of go. Great ride--a bit distracted at the end as trailer pulled in with handsome stallion and gelding warm bloods!

For me: I kept checking my mental list to improve my riding--
1. Am I in sync with my horse instead of pushing her
2. Can I identify and release tension--especially hips and lower back
3. Deep breathing?
4. Arm and hand positions, heels down, posting forward position
5. Channeling confidence and being above it all
6. Effective cueing

What I did: I often remembered in sync and freeing lower back and hips, confidence and position less often remembered, breathing I forgot, cueing I took care of as needed without much thought.

From Kathy on relaxation vs over riding:

    I worked on this concept with Suzanne and Lisa as both were at various stages of over riding, I had worked with Lisa on this last Saturday.  Besides showing the sensitivity of the horse to the subtle changes in the rider when visualizing what you want from from the horse, but also the quality of the gait that results when you ask.  As you found out, as you visualized with relaxation, the horse was picking up on your brain/body connection and then when you applied leg, inhaled and released your energy/life up with intent/purpose, the horse responded far better than if you didn't give that mental preview while you were relaxed.  This relaxed imagery is like a half halt in that it is telling the horse a change is coming and to be ready.  It continues to amaze Lisa at T's understanding and how much impact rhythmic breathing, relaxation and visualization has on improved understanding of what kind of engagement and what tempo within a gait the rider is looking for.  It is almost magic.  When used for longer periods while riding the physical aides become almost invisible!!!!  Yay!!!!!  The horse/rider interaction on this level becomes more dance like as aides are so subtle.  You never see anything written or taught on how to teach riders to feel.  I have always said riders have to think with two brains, one in their head and the other in their fanny; brontosaurus had two brains with one in it's tail.  The brain in your fanny is for feeling what the horse is doing, where the shoulders, ribs and HQ are in relation to straightness, engagement, throughness, self carriage and response to rider's aides.

  Rhythmic breathing is another thing that is rarely taught, yet relaxation hinges on the rider's ability to breathe rhythmicaly and breathing also helps in transitions - inhale on up transitions and exhale on down.  Life-up is also hinging on breathing.

  I think it would be fun to do something with Devon along the lines of what we did with Try.  And now Try has another job as a landscaping assistant  lol I am not surprised that Try got distracted when Richmond came lol It is going to be different having a stallion around, that's for sure.