Darn weather

 

So... I was supposed to have a lesson on Lyric with Jacel this morning. The weather didn't cooperate so we ended up postponing it until Sat. But then the weather stopped raining (in time for my lesson doh!) and looked like it was going to stay clear until 11 or noon. I guess I should have ridden Dan first, since he's rehabbing, but.. I didn't. Because my brain was stuck on "ride Lyric". But anyways... point is... after I rode Lyric, I figured I could sneak Dan in. Yeah.. the radar lied! Of course I spent a tiny bit more time grooming him because he had been sprinkled on and then rolled in the arena sand pile so he was orange!!! But we got ready to go and I decided that I would try lunging him first to help do some rehab. But then as soon as I got in the arena and did one lap of pillar work, it started sprinkling. Which, no big deal, except I don't own this saddle... and it's getting rained on! I probably should have just headed in, but... I thought I'll just get on and cover the saddle. So I did. We did our walk homework - the figure 8. We did shallow serpentines/zig zags. Then we trotted. And... he felt kind of icky. Oh no! Worse tracking left. Not his usual hopping rein lameness, but... not a legit lameness. So we kept at it. It would come and go. And I didn't necessarily consciously realize it, but... when he was overbent, that's when he was wonky. So I was already focusing on riding him straight, but also bending his barrel, so we just kept doing that. And we had some nice moments. We cantered also and again, we had some nice moments. He didn't feel as amazing as he did the previous ride, but he still felt pretty good at times. Well, not too far into our ride.. it started raining. Like legit rain, not just sprinkles. Sigh.. We finished up with one "lengthen" down centerline. Which also was not nearly as good as the other day. In fact, it wasn't great at all. But it was raining and I wasn't into it, so.. fair enough. We grabbed the pivo and the tripod and disconnected everything and then headed back in. Luckily I was able to dry and clean the saddle and there are no spots. 

Then later I had sent the video to Kim to get her take on the saddle fit and see how he was going in it. She told me that he was cheating and over bending and that was putting pressure on C5-C7 and would cause a rein lameness. So I needed to really focus on keeping his head straight - his neck between his shoulder blades and his nose between his shoulder blades. And that would eliminate that rein lameness. She also said that the saddle wasn't the cause. He was moving quite freely and that was just his compensations from before. Yay! Glad I was at least subconsciously aware of it. And now I can focus on it. I do think I am going to try to do some virtual lessons with her. She's so helpful and she had Dan going soooooo darn nice!

And then tonight while I was letting their food "cook"... I pulled Dan out to do some bodywork. I just made him lift his back - pillar 2. We also did some neck stretches and some pushing forward and pushing back. I'm trying to be good and do this more often.