Hope restored

 So.... I was a little bit in a dark place the other day. I was so bummed about Dan's hitch still being present and I was so bummed because all of everyone on facebook is showing and jumping and cross country schooling... and we're still broken. And don't get me wrong. I do adore trail riding and Dan and I are having a blast. BUT... I finally have an arena of my own... and it's been so long, I just wanted to do things... dressage things! And think about going to a show... and I still really want my bronze! So.. I was struggling. Then you add in the fact that the first shockwave didn't help. And while I know it's not an immediate thing... I was still hoping it would have helped more. And then I started second guessing the lameness... and feeling like I needed to do an MRI because maybe it is in the foot. And... so yeah. I was just sad. But... today!!! Today I have hope again! And funny enough, today was a rainy miserable wet cold day. :) But it was a good day.

I met Kelli and Marvin at a friends for a lesson. Luckily said friend has a covered arena. And I hopped on Dan and warmed him up and then when we were ready... she asked me what was going on. So I told her. She watched us go and he was lame. Not much better when I put him together, but maybe a little bit. So, she got on. And she started riding him and feeling him and....  she nailed it. And I'm a little ashamed because it's the same damn thing every one has been saying for years... but I just couldn't figure out what they were saying. She was able to explain it in a way that made it make enough sense in my head, that I'm able to over-ride my brain and body and do it right. Some of the time. Which is a start! But as she rode him longer and longer, he got sounder and sounder and holy moly if he didn't start floating and swinging and lofting! She did some leg yielding that looked amazing!! 

So... she basically explained that he is dumping onto his right shoulder, which is not going to help keep him sound. Right... got that... But she explained how to fix it, and again, not any differently than what anyone else has said, but my brain kept fighting it. Until she said... he has to move his barrel. She then basically got on all fours and showed me what his body was doing. He's constantly got his head to the right, his body is tipped to the right, thus dumping onto his right shoulder, BUT... his barrel is shoved left. He's bent in a Right C shape in his body. His right barrel and body can't elongate. Okay, so THAT makes me brain understand and cooperate with the fix. Which is... getting his left shoulder stronger so that he can carry himself evenly and getting his left barrel over. 

Tracking Right:

• Ride him very straight out of his neck and withers
• Almost (or actually) counter flex him to keep him straight and stand him up onto that left shoulder
• leg yield on the rail with slight flexion to the rail
• progress to shoulder fore/in to the rail (so counter shoulder in)
• haunches in (travers)
• Ride him into the left rein
• square turns

Tracking Left:

• leg yield him on the circle (almost leg yield him out the entire way)
• push his hind quarters out
• hold the outside with the outside leg, but softly, using my thigh to keep his shoulder from flinging out
• ride him straight out of his neck and withers

Hopefully I haven't already confused myself. :) She was very complimentary of him and said that he had all the buttons... I just needed to not get sucked in and ride him straight! *DAY MADE*.... because I made him. :) With help... but I did that. :) :) And he was a good boy for her. He tried. He said no at first... but then he tried. :) So.... when I got back on, it was a struggle, but.. it was cool to feel the difference and the fact that because I finally understood the mechanics of it... I could argue my brain and body out of the bad habits to try to fix it which were unsuccessful. 

So yep.. hope restored! Hopefully we can fix this and get my boy feeling good in his body again! Hopefully his stifle will hold up. :)