Had another lesson Friday and it was a vast improvement. I did think my tiredness last time was the main issue, I felt much more on the ball yesterday and it went well.
I had a nice schooling session mid week so I had an inkling the lesson would be an improvement on last one.
Yesterday started with getting him flexing and stepping through with the inside hind.D said he's so thickset in the neck and can look pretty infront without working properly from behind so getting him flexing and activating the hind is really important.We then moved into trot and did some leg yielding, concentrating on getting him to flex and be straight as he is desperate to lead with his shoulders. I have a tendency to try and correct this purely by pushing his quarters over with my leg but D had me half halting then using the inside leg to straighten the shoulders up instead which worked well and we got some nice attempts towards the end.I must admit it feels really weird as he finds this such hard work yet Polo seems to find lateral work so easy.
Next we moved onto some travers coming off the circle with the bend then moving the front end on the track with the quarters in,it was a bit hit and miss at first. Sorry if im not explaining this properly or correctly, im better *doing* than talking or writing about this side of things!
I did giggle as D said im very interesting to teach as although im not a technical rider im very practical..Im not 100% sure it that was a compliment or not but I *think* she meant it in a nice way? :))))
Lastly we did some canter work for the first time in ages and it was actually quite good. Because Ali tries to use his backend as sparingly as possible I have found his canter hard to sit to as it sometimes feels like his back is as hard as a board and im bouncing higher and higher and he's boiinging without actually going very far.
Anyway he felt more forward,softer and supple so D asked me to again ask for the bend half halting and using my outside leg on the girth to stop him falling out. We got a decent canter on each rein so called it a day there.
We were both chuffed with him as he really seemed to tried hard to do everything that was asked of him,I feel we are both making huge progress at the minute.
Today Vic and I went to see some Border Terrier puppies as she is joining the Border owners club. They belong to a guy I got chatting to at the show last week so Vic is now the owner of a little bitch who she'll collect mid July when she gets back from her holidays.
I later went for a hack along the lane with our YO which was very pleasant as the sun was out.
4 comments:
It must have been a compliment! I find 'doing' easier too. Need to be shown rather than be told!
What a challenge Ali is, I'm sure more ease in the lateral work will come with suppleness, and he'll be a little rubber ball in no time :)
Attitude is more than half the equation when you have a horse to train. The physical issues can usually be overcome with correct gymnastic work and suppling, but if the horse isn't willing, it is not a pleasant journey.
Seems to me AliG has tons of quality in the attitude department.
Being a "practical" rider is a good thing. I suspect you feel things and adapt your riding to try to fix them instead of sticking by strict rules of riding correctly. When you can add all the classical principles to your "bag of tricks" and feel which ones to use at any given moment, then you will be even better.!!
so Vic will be joining you showing borders as well? :-)
are you ok? & vic? not heard anything from either of you for weeks...
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