Back to Civil again

 Today we went back for another lesson and rehab ride. It was an interesting one. We spent a lot of time talking but also got some good riding in. I feel like we're maybe making progress. I didn't notice hardly any lame steps today. :) 

(Basically, this is Dan and me...on the left... thus I need to correct that right shoulder fling by getting his left rib cage over)

We started at the trot and when I was tracking left, I rode him shoulder in on the circle. Which, for the life of me, is WAY WAY WAY harder than shoulder in on the rail. Why?! It's the same darn thing?!? Oh... because I don't have the rail to hold his haunches. My outside leg isn't effective. Plus I think I'm riding it too much like a haunches out instead of a shoulder in. I need to ride it almost like a half pass for my body to do it correctly. So when she realized how awful I was at that, she let me do it on the rail. And it was better. So then we talked about doing the half pass and how that was another good exercise. Basically the shoulder in to half pass and back and forth is a great suppling and straightening exercise. So we tried that. Tracking left, it's not too bad. 

Tracking Left Half Pass:

• Start in shoulder in: My shoulders are turned to the inside but my hips stay square. My outside leg helps hold the haunches from flinging out. Remember, my shoulders should be facing like I'm about to cross the diagonal (Yes, that much!)
• Then as we progress to half-pass, my inside leg comes on to create the bend, my outside leg closes to move the hind quarters over, my seat sits left to bring his body underneath me to the left, and my shoulders now turn back to the rail. I can't let him hang on either rein, and need to shake hi off if we start to hang on each other. 

However, tracking right... that's a hot mess! A big ol' disaster! Basically, it's just the reverse. Except apparently I'm also stuck in a right bend, collapsing on my right side. So, when I try to half pass by turning my shoulders, only my head turns and it ends up being some bizarre awful leg yield counter bent disaster. Sigh. So.. yeah... We'll have to work on that. 

The good news is that I did get a few good steps to the left before he fell onto his shoulder. So... get the good steps and then go straight as it starts to fall apart. Then go back to it.. then when it's stops being correct, come out of it. It'll keep getting better!

So then we decided to canter so that she could help me figure out how to straighten him. 

We started on the left lead. Which was harder. So... basically he sucks me into pulling the left rein to keep him from flinging out to the right, but he's already dumping on the right shoulder, so that just makes it worse. So, I need to guard him with my outside leg, really use my inside leg, drop the inside rein, and push that left barrel off the inside. I almost need to counter flex him every few strides too to get him to stand up on that shoulder.  When we went to the right, he's much easier to keep straight. But I have to not collapse on my right side. I need to sit up, sit on my right seat, drop and lengthen my legs, and keep him straight. 

So then that led to another discussion. About how I need to stop fussing with his head and "getting him round". I need to learn to ride forward with my hands, not backwards. I need to do much less with my hands. We discussed and I decided that in general, Dan and I are both loud and start yelling at each other. We get loud. BUT... when I whisper to him, he actually starts to listen instead of yelling back. So, my goal is to whisper with my seat and leg aids and stop yelling at him with my hands. We then discussed that my arms get straight and locked, so she wanted my elbows at my waist. Especially because he tends to pull my right hand forward. So then, magic!!! She held the reins (and got foamed by Dan!) and told me to hold on softly... She told me to relax my elbows, which I did, but... I was still tight. She then told me to ride from my shoulder blades. To "hold" the reins there. Oh... OHHHHHHH!!! By riding from there... my arms and elbows were loose and soft and I was following the connection and could even ride forward, which is a hard thing to do!. Plus it kept my sternum up and I'm betting will help my core. I just have to make sure I don't lock my shoulders now too. But it also seemed much easier to move my shoulders and my hips independently that way. Aha!! 

So yep... we called it quits then but I'm anxious to get back on and play and see what happens with that. Unfortunately I don't know that I'll have time tomorrow. And then Thursday morning Logan comes to do more shockwave, so... I'll ride that afternoon, but depending on how he feels, I may just hack.