YESSSSSSSS!!!!!

 So... I'm trying to not get too excited, but also geS excited. :) Dan had another shockwave this morning. Then he got a bath. I was going to clip him and then ride at home because ... well, I have an arena :) But then I really started to get the itch to go trail riding and see some of the fall foliage and Kelli wanted to ride too, so... I decided after his bath, and then after Fleck's bath, that I would just go to Ashland. It seemed a little silly to pay the $15 to use the arena, when I have one here. BUT... again... all the reasons I already stated, so off we went. Plus the arena at Ashland is level and not different depths, which is safer. We'll eventually get the arena fixed here, but not until after some other stuff gets done. So I happily paid the extra and off we went. 

We did our arena work and did our homework and he felt really good!! He felt straighter and we were able to get our leg yields, shoulder ins, and half passes better than they had been. And interestingly, today... it was easier to keep Dan in the left lead than the right, but... both canters felt a little stronger. I focused on holding the weight in my shoulder blades and keeping my elbows and arms soft and supple and following/pushing the bit to him. I focused on my weight aids and my seat aids and tried to minimally use my hand aids. And you know what?! Dan was happy! He was in front of my leg and he started to get soft and up through his back. It wasn't perfect... and it certainly isn't show ready yet, but.. it was better. And yes, maybe he was a bit heavy on the forehand and running some, but we've got to rebuild that strength. Hopefully I can keep myself in check and not over do it with him too quick. But we're having fun! And through it all I only felt like MAYBE 3 lame/hitchy steps. :) And I sort of had to use my imagination :) :) I even did two little lengthens across the diagonal and he felt much more even. YAY!!!!!! I made sure to reward all the little tries and be kind and supportive. Because... I don't want him to think my frustrations at his soundness is frustration in him. 

So then we went for a little hack. It was much shorter than I wanted but the day was getting away from me and Kelli definitely had to get back. But we at least got to do a loop and Dan also got to splash in the lake for a bit. :) 

 

 

And we had a lovely sunset too

Back to Civil again

 Today we went back for another lesson and rehab ride. It was an interesting one. We spent a lot of time talking but also got some good riding in. I feel like we're maybe making progress. I didn't notice hardly any lame steps today. :) 

(Basically, this is Dan and me...on the left... thus I need to correct that right shoulder fling by getting his left rib cage over)

We started at the trot and when I was tracking left, I rode him shoulder in on the circle. Which, for the life of me, is WAY WAY WAY harder than shoulder in on the rail. Why?! It's the same darn thing?!? Oh... because I don't have the rail to hold his haunches. My outside leg isn't effective. Plus I think I'm riding it too much like a haunches out instead of a shoulder in. I need to ride it almost like a half pass for my body to do it correctly. So when she realized how awful I was at that, she let me do it on the rail. And it was better. So then we talked about doing the half pass and how that was another good exercise. Basically the shoulder in to half pass and back and forth is a great suppling and straightening exercise. So we tried that. Tracking left, it's not too bad. 

Tracking Left Half Pass:

• Start in shoulder in: My shoulders are turned to the inside but my hips stay square. My outside leg helps hold the haunches from flinging out. Remember, my shoulders should be facing like I'm about to cross the diagonal (Yes, that much!)
• Then as we progress to half-pass, my inside leg comes on to create the bend, my outside leg closes to move the hind quarters over, my seat sits left to bring his body underneath me to the left, and my shoulders now turn back to the rail. I can't let him hang on either rein, and need to shake hi off if we start to hang on each other. 

However, tracking right... that's a hot mess! A big ol' disaster! Basically, it's just the reverse. Except apparently I'm also stuck in a right bend, collapsing on my right side. So, when I try to half pass by turning my shoulders, only my head turns and it ends up being some bizarre awful leg yield counter bent disaster. Sigh. So.. yeah... We'll have to work on that. 

The good news is that I did get a few good steps to the left before he fell onto his shoulder. So... get the good steps and then go straight as it starts to fall apart. Then go back to it.. then when it's stops being correct, come out of it. It'll keep getting better!

So then we decided to canter so that she could help me figure out how to straighten him. 

We started on the left lead. Which was harder. So... basically he sucks me into pulling the left rein to keep him from flinging out to the right, but he's already dumping on the right shoulder, so that just makes it worse. So, I need to guard him with my outside leg, really use my inside leg, drop the inside rein, and push that left barrel off the inside. I almost need to counter flex him every few strides too to get him to stand up on that shoulder.  When we went to the right, he's much easier to keep straight. But I have to not collapse on my right side. I need to sit up, sit on my right seat, drop and lengthen my legs, and keep him straight. 

So then that led to another discussion. About how I need to stop fussing with his head and "getting him round". I need to learn to ride forward with my hands, not backwards. I need to do much less with my hands. We discussed and I decided that in general, Dan and I are both loud and start yelling at each other. We get loud. BUT... when I whisper to him, he actually starts to listen instead of yelling back. So, my goal is to whisper with my seat and leg aids and stop yelling at him with my hands. We then discussed that my arms get straight and locked, so she wanted my elbows at my waist. Especially because he tends to pull my right hand forward. So then, magic!!! She held the reins (and got foamed by Dan!) and told me to hold on softly... She told me to relax my elbows, which I did, but... I was still tight. She then told me to ride from my shoulder blades. To "hold" the reins there. Oh... OHHHHHHH!!! By riding from there... my arms and elbows were loose and soft and I was following the connection and could even ride forward, which is a hard thing to do!. Plus it kept my sternum up and I'm betting will help my core. I just have to make sure I don't lock my shoulders now too. But it also seemed much easier to move my shoulders and my hips independently that way. Aha!! 

So yep... we called it quits then but I'm anxious to get back on and play and see what happens with that. Unfortunately I don't know that I'll have time tomorrow. And then Thursday morning Logan comes to do more shockwave, so... I'll ride that afternoon, but depending on how he feels, I may just hack. 

We've gone Feral!!

 I decided to just ride at home today so we could practice some homework and then do the hack around the neighborhood. I may jave jinxed myself by wearing my awesome new shirt that a friend bought me! "Be a Unicornasaurus Rex in a world of T-rex's". Dan was a good boy in the arena. We worked on the straightness and... I'm starting to get sucked back into my own brain. BUT...  I do think I'm at least catching it now and able to talk myself back out of it. NOPE... push that left barrel back to the right, which will pick the right shoulder up. So we worked on it. We did lots of trot and walk... I also added some ground poles. We also did a little bit of canter and I mostly just tried to keep his neck coming out of the middle of his withers. BUT..... when I tried to straighten him on the left lead, he swapped. I am not thinking that's a good thing. I mean, yes, I want a change, but... I need it when I ask, not because I'm trying to straighten him and ride correctly. BUT, maybe it's a little bit of a good thing because he can do it. :) Ha! 

Anyways, then we went for a hack and he was a little sucked back on the way out. We passed two dogs, one being that adorable german shepherd puppy, on a golf cart and they barked at him but he didn't mind. However, once we got to Jean's other property and hit that loop, he got fired up! We went the opposite direction we had before and he was amped. So then once we passed the bamboo, I let him canter. I knew he would try to bolt so I tried to hold him. But I was in the nathe dressage bridle, so I only managed to rate him slightly. I did get him back before the driveway, but he jigged sideways most of the way down the driveway. Then he was prancy to the tennis court field. I decided I would let him canter in the field to get a little bit more energy out, but... he was NOT behaving. He kept trying to bolt. So we had to have a discussion. We managed a very collected canter and a very collected power trot before I just gave up and walked him home. ;) I'm glad he's feeling good!

Clearly my riding app is no longer working. :( 

Hacking and Fitness: Dan just living his best life

 Today Mike had to sit through 8 hours of driving school.... for that speeding ticket he got. Whoops! So that meant I was able to go play! 

I ended up doing some work first so that meant Dan got to take a nap. He was sacked out in the sun and was even dreaming. Awwwww.... how cute! 

Once I got him up, Dan and I headed to Ashland and met Kelli and Marvin for a hack. We toured Ashland and enjoyed the gorgeous day. The sky was just amazing. Kelli even let us trot a bit so we were doing some of that. Of course as we're trit trotting down the path by the creek, I asked Kelli if she and Marvin were still okay and she couldn't hear me, so I turned my head to say it again so she could hear me. And apparently right about that time we came upon a dog and his two owners walking on the other side of the creek. Dan almost did a 180 and because I was turned around, it came out of nowhere! Luckily I stayed on and Dan quickly realized it was fine and we were able to carry on. But woah!! That came out of the blue. Hee hee. 

After our trail ride, I left Kelli and went and did some fitness work in the XC field. We had already trotted for 3 minutes, so we did a 6 minute set, going up and down the hills, then rested. Then we cantered. The plan was to do one lap each direction, but.... Dan had his own plans. It turned into a gallop up the hill, then a change to the other lead, then another gallop, then another change. Hee hee. So we played for a minute then I brought him back down. Then we picked up a proper canter for a little bit and cantered to the lake. We splashed and drank. Then we trotted back up to the arena's for the last 3 minutes of trotting. Dan wanted to investigate the jump arena so we did... and we found Josh, Lexi, and Oliver! We chatted and then we headed back. 

And... every time we unload, Dan has to pee in the flower beds. Which, at least he hits the pine straw instead of the grass or the roses. Doh!  And of course, once I turned him out, Dan had an awesome roll and then he and Fleck chiled the rest of the day, enjoying the beautiful weather!

I rode at home. AT HOME!!! IN MY ARENA :)

 Well, not *MY* arena yet, but... eventually to be my arena. :) 

Practiced our homework... and then I had to go work

That night acupunctured and adjusted Dan before Freddie comes tomorrow