Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Getting more jump

 Well, it's not a change.. yet. But we're getting a better canter! Today was lesson day and we worked on the canter half pass. Ugh... Dressage is hard!

Tracking left:

I must keep the outside rein connection. I must not let my inside thumb roll down. Think of sitting my pelvis square and almost canter pirouetting him into the half pass.... that keeps my elbows at my side and has me turn my whole upper body from my core rather than lengthening my right arm and crossing the left over his neck. I have to keep my legs long... no creeping up the saddle. We got some nice sit behind and lift in the front end though!!! We still can't quite manage the correct bend and move sideways. We tend to either lead too much with the shoulders and turn it into a diagonal or lead too much with the haunches. BUT... we did get more lift. Oh, and I have to think forward, sideways, forward, sideways... not just sideways, sideways, sideways. And pulse my leg aids. 

Then we went right....

Tracking Right:

oh darn.. now I can't remember.... Maybe.. Open my inside rein... no crossing over. Oh, and definitely watch my right leg. No matter what I was doing, it was creeping up, and I was jabbing him with the spur. 

But again.. passable. :) 

So then he was all fired up so we did a lengthen and then he just got belligerent and was running through all my aids. Rana reminded me to keep him round and supple... pick a rein and put him in a bend, even if I'm going straight. Oooooh, so when I do a medium trot... he should still be on a left or a right bend. Because if he's bent, remember, he can't brace and lean. :) 

Crazy horse! I then tossed him out in her field so that Kelli and I could go get lunch. We ate at "The Place" in downtown Athens. SOOOO yummy. And Dan did not destroy anything. (else).... we broke the gate opener on the way in and then he kicked out and broke one of the caps on their dressage board. Oops. :( 




No comments:

Post a Comment