She got Dan on the lunge line and was making him go forward! He wasn't allowed to be "behind the leg". And forward he went! Apparently, he CAN canter on a small circle. ;) However, he kept cross cantering to the right and when he did his downward transitions, he looked downright lame. :( Cindy said she didn't think he was tracking up with his right hind. And thinking back, he doesn't cross over and under when he does his "crouching tiger" on that side. I try to be diligent, but I'm not always so. She said it's a weakness and I need to work on it. (I also think he's locked in his pelvis and I've been meaning to adjust him). So she said that when I do crouching tiger, I need to walk him forward as he's doing it, so that he learns to go forward and not get stuck. Then she said that she was trying to bend him and he's very stiff to the right. When she lunges him to the left and asks him to leg yield out (ha... just like the spiral in and spiral out I was doing under tack) by pushing him out with the whip, he bends and leg yields out. When she asks him on the right side, he turns his head to the outside, leans in, and can't do it. And it's because he's not stepping forward with that right hind. So she got him moving forward and eventually with some work, she got him bending and stepping forward. Yay! So I'm definitely going to have to do some significant work with him. But I think I can fix it before it becomes too habitual. :) Three days in a row, then some time off, then another three days in a row. Eventually, within 3 weeks, I should have made progress. I can also work on it under tack too, but on the lunge line is even less stress on his body.
So then we tacked up and played in the ring as Trey hasn't ever been in an "offcial" dressage ring. Danny was good and we worked on the usual stuff. Then I did some cantering. Well, Cindy had Trey cantering 20 meter circles and I laughed and told her that Dan and I weren't there yet. She told me that he could do it. I needed to ride the back end and steer the butt! She also suggested that I put my butt in the saddle more to accomplish that. So, sure enough, when I did sit lightly and ride his hind end and shoulders, he was definitely able to do more of the turn than usual. We didn't quite make a full 20 meter circle, which may have been my fault for not keeping my leg on. But we did manage more of the short side than usual. :) And it was easier to steer him when I thought of it that way. But I know I don't want to sit too much at first.
So then we went to the XC field because Cindy wanted to see what Trey thought of things. Dan and I did some trotting in the open and then even trotted in and out of the water! :) He likes it. We also went up and down the bank in the water twice. He even did the other side too. :) And he also stood pretty calmly while Trey was cantering around and doing things afar. Such a good baby!
We even finished by trotting over two logs and then walking over two logs. Yay!
So, now he gets three days off while I work and then I'll do his lunging exercises again.
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