Thursday - Lesson with Kathy

First lesson since ??November??

Kathy's notes posted at facebook:

"Had a rewarding discussion and ride with Elizabeth Pope and Try today too. Elizabeth wants to refine the aides she uses with Try and have Try respond to Elizabeth's "life up", intent and purpose. These two know each other so well, yet Try wants a "heads up" before Elizabeth asks her for a change in rhythm, she responds beautifully to" life up and down" in changes of tempo. We also worked on her position and how to relax the lower back so we laterally broaden and softly flatten/fill the lower back. So she will be well anchored in the saddle but not tensing. Try was funny as she told us that she was ready for something else as she had understood and improved her response to the exercise. Try is so smart and told us it was time to move on to something else. lol"

Kathy audited the last session with Dan Thompson when we worked with backup, forward and turns cueing with body weight/position alone. We also attended the MMJ demo day body/mind/energy cueing. I had told Kathy I was unwilling to ride with contact or soft feel or whatever at least until I work out cleaning up cueing--making new habits etc.

My notes on the session--we talked about cueing and I explained how Try and I are doing with it. The backup/forward issue--I have decided it is ok to go up in phases for Try to figure the good deal--she is absolutely capable of telling from my body/intention/focus etc whether to go forward or back. My plan is to take one direction and get it clean. Then the other and get it really well. Then start to alternate them so we know the difference. This is similar to sideways away and toward (Try prefers toward).

I talked about my desire to set a cue we can share for when Try gets a druthers feeling. Kathy suggested a little tap on her shoulder different from any other cueing I do. I know we can do this as we have worked out between us about quickly releasing emotion from my cueing--an understanding between us.

Also we discussed the search for best friend mode i.e. searching for the good deal or release of pressure etc. I realized yesterday that Try has been training me with this the entire time I have known her. LOL

Anyway--riding in the lesson:
We played with cueing a little in warming up and then played with rhythms in the walk and trot transitioning from life up and life down--this is really not an issue for Try and I--we sync quickly--likely we have developed this not only in the saddle but on the ground. Dan taught us to sync to energy levels in stick-to-me. When the quality of the transition was not as good I told Kathy that Try was bored (LBI and she knew she had it) and that was the issue. I was pleased that I recognized that in a lesson situation--harder for me than when Try and I are alone because I focus in on what the instructor is saying!!!

We also did 1/4 turns on the haunches while still moving. I was surprised that they were not difficult but unhappy that I used reins. I like turns on the haunches from a stand still--sit deep and use carrot stick to push. (Try has had "professional" reining training of six weeks or so. Actually some reining "moves" have been things we have worked on together to get rid of fears and tension. That training must have been awfully unpleasant for her.)

I was very pleased with the quality of trot at the end--it was great to have Kathy guide us there.

Laterally widening the lower back felt really relaxed and good. I so often think vertically only. I have a yoga instructor who used to widen the lower back laterally for me as I recall.

I have also noted lately that Try has no issue with stopping on the rail at the judges stand. When she doesn't stop and relax there I think it is not claustrophobia but that she is thinking away from me i.e. time to leave the ring and go eat grass.