Dressage is still hard. And now also hot.

  Dressage is still hard. And now it's hot too. :( Grrrr.... I know.. it's late May.. and it's just now getting hot and humid. So I'm VERY grateful for the beautiful gorgeous spring we actually had. But now I get cranky because the heat and sun try to kill me. At least there was a little bit of a breeze tonight. And I'm glad I got to ride. It was Mike and Holly date day and we had a day trip planned. We got home at 5ish, so I was able to sneak in a ride though. Cause you know... I have an arena at home now!!! Not bragging... just so excited about that fact! So anyways... we did some dressage. 

 

Funny snuck in through the gate again and ran amuck for a little bit. However, she mostly stayed out of the way. Dan was a good boy, but this heat is getting to him too. It just came on so quick compared to what we were having. But he was a good boy and a good sport. We got some nice trot after our walk work and got some really impressive haunches in and haunches out rapid fire. We did some nice trot half pass. So then we went to canter and got a nice canter to start. Then we tried Aubreys' suggestion of spiraling in and out at the canter. In other words.. half pass in, leg yield out. And it's a brilliant idea! Because we're on a circle, we have to keep the bend, it's easier for me to keep my inside bend aids, and it's that much harder for him to swap. And it worked!! It might not have been a perfect half pass, but they aren't on the straight line either. So yay! Helpful. We did try a few steps on the straight away and it went south again, so we went back to the circle. Then he was good so we did some canter to walk to canters. Then we did our trot half passes again and we're going to quit, but... then I had paid attention to my body position and wanted to try it at the canter again to see if it would help. And it did! Instead of trying to ride haunches in, I sat on my outside seat bone and did shoulder in, and then half pass. Like at the trot. And I kept my head turned back over my outside shoulder and kept my weight to the inside but my outside seat bone weighted, and it worked!! We got a few really good steps both ways! Yay! Baby steps still, but at least we're making progress again. :) 

Then we quit and after we finally got Funny out of the arena, Dan got carrots and a rinse. And then of course he rolled. Then I worked Funny a bit, and then they got dinner. :) We'll hopefully have a lesson on Tuesday, which is his birthday! And then we'll go XC schooling again on Thursday to celebrate too :) He gets to celebrate all week. :)