43 going on 12

 It's my birthday.... :) My Birth... birth... birthday! And the sun was shining and it was a glorious warm day! I even put on a t-shirt! We started the day off riding in a clinic Jacel did as a fundraiser for a sweet family. It was so good! I'm so glad I did it. It was grids and it was hard but fun. 

 

We started off with the spiral of death. ;) It was ground poles... where basically you had to do a tiny circle to the left for 3/4 of the circle, then figure 8 change direction to do the same the other way. The poles were set for trot strides and the ends were all touching, so I feel like it was an 8 meter circle or so. Tight! We walked it first and then trotted it. It was hard! The trick was to ride with your hips, seat, and legs, and elbows. You couldn't use your reins as you kept trying too... you had to channel their shoulders through your body aids. So, close your outside leg, keep that outside shoulder up and the elbow at your side and half-halting, and then use your core to stay straight through the shoulders but allow bend. It took a few tries, but we got it! Dan slowed to a walk once or twice but by the end he was trotting the whole way through. :) 

 

So then we used that technique to go forward into the jumping. We started with a vertical and trotted (ha!) it both ways. Of course we failed at that, but... I think we did manage one nice jump, although he may have cantered the last half stride or so, but.. maybe not. I had to half-halt, just with my fingers ever so slightly every time I sat during my post and keep my shoulders up, and... we may have gotten one true trot fence! So then she made it a hogsback and we were allowed to canter that. Jacel noted our drift so she told me to leg yield him on landing. On landing you say?!? huh... okay! And holy moly it worked! Which is a little weird because I do feel like he drifts right before we even take off...  although perhaps that wasn't the issue we were having today?? But... anyways... sure enough... when I stay straight and ride him forward but not chasing... and keep my elbows moving... and then as we land if I leg yield him left, he somehow seems to jump better! So then we started to put together a course. We started with a line of 3 fences in a straight line. All small verticals. And we went down the line and I asked him to leg yield to the left on all 3 fences and holy moly it got better!!! He even landed and did a change he was so balanced. Granted it was a proppy/quick change that almost threw me off balance, but still! So then we did a bendy line. It was a very gradual S curve and then my brain exploded because I had to leg yield both directions. So.... while he does tend to drift right, I also need to leg yield him to the right when we are turning to the left on landing. Jacel explained it in a way that makes so much sense and ties in so nicely to the rest of his "rehab riding". :) She said that he gets a little lazy, but his lazyness is in his ribcage. So he throws his ribcage at me... which means he can't bend... which means he can't engage the hind end, which means he can't lift his barrel, which means he dumps onto the forehand. Yep, sounds about right. BUT... if I leg yield him on landing, that moves his ribcage, which allows his inside hind to track up and under and provide pushing power, and that means... I get a horse with impulsion and energy! And it lightens up the front end, so he can land springy instead of dumpy. So.. okay! It took us a trip or two to get the hang of it, but ... it kept getting better and better. And holy moly... once his barrel got out of his way, he turned back into the pocket rocket!! And while that meant he put in a chip or two, it was interesting to note that he didn't roll over his shoulder on those fences, but instead had that poppy front end that I'm always so jealous of others for... the front end that can get to a chip spot and pop up and clear the fence and not make you feel like you're going to land on your face! And then it got better and better! By the end, we had a decent trip with two full flying changes!! And he was up and jumping nicely and lifting his front end. (okay, sure it was only BN, but still.. he was lifting his front end over BN sized fences!). And he was on fire... and game... and happy. And dragging me to fences! :) :) 

 

So yep.. it was very exciting! I feel like this might be the missing piece that my brain wasn't getting with the jumping. And why I messed him up previously. I was trying to get impulsion by shutting him down... but I needed to get impulsion by encouraging that inside hind to step up and under. And in order to do that, he needs to move his barrel out of the way. And also stop dumping on that right shoulder. But this is exactly what I'm doing in my flatwork! I'm changing his body dynamics from his classic usual pose of dumping on the front right and letting the left hind trail out behind, to... rocking him back onto the left hind and making it push, and lifting the right front. And yes, we do it the other direction too, but it's already easier that way. So yay! I'm hoping that this will also help me figure out how to get our lead changes on the flat too. More correct "dressage changes". Maybe by thinking of adding in a hair of leg yield into our transitions, I can influence that hind end better. :) Magic!!

 

So then.. because it's my birthday and it was GORGEOUS out... we went for a little hack. We walked with Laura and Llama on their way home and then split ways and I did a tiny bit more by myself. I really wanted to stay out there all day... but, I had things to get back to the house for. And while those things were annoying and unnecessary expenses, at least they are now mostly done. And I was able to empty the arena and get it dragged (drug?? dragged? They both sound wrong!). And took a few photos with Funny. But yep. It was super pretty out, but Dan and I had a fun short hack. 

Also.. check out my new T-Rex helmet, thanks to Liz!! :) 

 Goobers!!! Dan's face cracks me up!