Maybe!
BUT.... this might have been a game changer lesson. An epiphany!
Dan was only slightly feral. took lyric too and put her in a stall. was telling kelli about runnign training level and started to work on halt. explained how he runs off into a lengthen. went to pick up the reins and he went into a porpoise canter. no.. that's not what i meant he usually does. ha ha... worked on halt... uses his hind end but then juts his nose up and out. so... almost halt, then 10 meter circle to the right.. then almost halt, ten meter circle to the left. Do this before they ring the bell! Then he started halting much softer.
then did canter lengthens on a circle. Ride the balance. ride the shoulders. leg yield him out... then back in when he falls out. use my hands to create the triangle to keep him straight. use my seat.. inside leg and more inside leg, especially tracking left and in the downwards. much straighter when i rode off the outside rein too.
then did across the diagonal and worked on changing the bend, then the flexion.
OHHHHHHHHH... I've worked so hard on keeping his nose in between his scapulas... and he's lovely but then he uses that straightness as an easy way to lock his underneck and brace and then pull along on the forehand. If I do inside flexion... not past his scapula but to the outside of his shoulder, he can't lock me out. he can't brace the underneck. OH OH OH!!! THis is why we score well in the lower levels but aren't in the upper levels. this is what needs to let go.. that base of his neck. where he cheats! And so far, the inside flexion is doing it. Oh yay!! I've tried so hard to keep him straight, but... now we can advance I guess. and it seems to be working. i'm hoping this is the magic ticket to keeping him comfy and soft and let us move on to third. BUT.. the key is BEND FIRST, FLEXION SECOND. So.. he has to be straight first... but then... then we add flexion.
super fun.
untacked but got lyric first.. hot mess. felt like jurassic park trying to contain two dinos'
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