Plan: getting my relaxation and golden feeling going on the drive to the barn. No videographer today so set up both ipad and camera. This is a TRANSCRIPTION mostly of our 45 minute lesson.
Try did NOT want to do anything. She came to me easily and relaxed in her stall but turned her head to avoid the halter. Waited and eventually she was ok. (Later Kathy said she was saying she hadn't had a chance to have her cup of coffee and check her email. LOL So true. Both Try and Sephira tend to not want to do anything first thing in the morning--after feeding but before the hay is gone. In a couple hours then they are bored and DO want to leave their stalls to do whatever.) Anyway Try kept telling me this so I wondered what kind of ride she had with Dawn the day before??
Warmup: We did the mirroring--she was relaxed and pleasant and mildly curious as mirroring is something we have done many hours of in the past in different ways. I stayed upright with my shoulders and was more comfortable. Then task: I decided on a simple task as time was short with lesson in a few minutes. I asked for back-up and draw back into me. yoyo. The away as great--cued with slight increase in body energy and lift finger as higher phase. Coming back she was hesitant and I needed to touch the rope the first two times. Then did 60 second count with visualization each time. That was very pleasant and each time we did the task it got better. Try's release was not really big as the task was so simple. When I have more time I will use a task that she has to puzzle out for herself as that is when I am most likely to get the big release.
Warmup in the saddle: walk til she blew--quickly today. the alternate walk, slow trot to slowly build energy. then lots of energy. Then we went into dressage ring and did a trot pattern without using reins and a little shoulder in and haunches in to review for me. We also did leg yields asking for big crossing step on the ground FQ and HQ.
Lesson starts:
CHECK LIST: Can I determine what to choose to improve and have the tool box ready?
Walk: We worked on check list for me to develop for myself.
1.
my position--that is easiest
2. Try: is she balanced forward and back, pulling or pushing, right and left
3. Try's outside hind leg was sluggish compared with her inside right hind leg. I was impressed with myself that I could FEEL it!
4. So how to get more engagement in outside hind leg--we explored methods, TOOLBAG
- change rein to circle
- turn on the forehand
- haunches in
- leg yields on the ground
- partial displacement
So we played with alternating partial displacement of right and left hind leg (can be used to slow and to power up) Do right and left like conga line. Will loosen topline also. Change my weight aid, hip more forward, scissor legs as I change direction. It is NOT about the reins. Can reinforce with voice and stick. Can be done in any pattern--diagonal, circle, serpentine. Also we did haunches in as we have been doing that a lot lately.
My question about opposite rein to speak to HQ: Kathy says be careful as you can get too much bend and she will fall out in the opposite shoulder. Also the outside rein will steady her FQ so her HQ can catch up. If she gets quicker in front then HQ will be way out behind again.
I had suggested the turn on the forehand and Kathy suggested doing it in the corners as a walking turn on the forehand and Try and I got a couple really great steps.
Get overall feel, turn loose, dance. (prerequisite for me--nitpick, have a clear pic of what to do in my body, practice it and then let it go)
8:50 For Try with her conformation it is more difficult for her to use her HQ than her FQ so she decides to do what is easier for her.
Trot: check--even front and back? pulling vs pushing? She was using her FQ more but harder for me to feel as perhaps to a lesser degree than with walk before. So what is the solution: back to the walk and played with Shoulder In and Shoulder Out--alternating with the purpose to relax and soften the shoulders.
I got a bit confused at this point: "If she is stiff in one side of her neck, do a little rein isolation on that side periodically. For shoulders out have shoulders on the track and haunches on an inner track. Switch to shoulders in--push her out don't let haunches fall in." ??????????? ASK
Then back to the trot: Now how balanced does it feel. I thought level then downhill. CHECK other camera here--still confused.
We made her think about different parts of her body and then Try says it is ok not to be stiff and I'd like to go forward now. Pleased with herself--waiting and listening for me--not taking control of the trot.
A question I had: Given I like our initial warmup to have a passenger element--if her trot is runny and she is a bit emotional--do we just experience that as is or ask for a better trot? Kathy says--yes let her express herself for a while then correct it--suggests using circles so Try corrects herself instead of my making her change her trot.
At 20 min. Spiraling in and out. I was not able to do moving sh and haunches R and L and spiral. Keep it simple and just spiral. Head--look in to center or on the current circle arc--my torso. ASK??? Using spiral to let Try figure out how to collect herself as the circle gets smaller. Then repeat at sitting trot. Must have forward energy first more than bending. Get a good trot and use my body for spiraling. ASK
pretty ballet ribcage: homework
Canter:
1/2 halts to steady Try, slow the canter--keep them brief and let go of it. Then do it again if need be til she gets it.
Stretching at the trot: yummy. correct it as needed.
