Cavaletti clinic day

Today was cavaletti clinic day with Beth. We rode with Jamie and Kelli. It was fun. It wasn't as complicated as it was last month. But it was still helpful and educational. And Dan and I both had fun. Although, currently... I'm all in my head about it. 

 

I rode bareback because I got kicked Friday morning in the knee and it hurts to lift and bend my knee. I think it's mostly muscular because it doesn't hurt when my knee is bent, just the action of bending it. And it's stiff. So I rode bareback. And that way, Kelli could have tried my saddle too if she wanted. Dan was filthy, but oh well. It rained this morning as we were getting ready to leave and then tacking up but it was only a light rain/drizzle and then it quit. Yay! 

She had set up 3 poles in a fan on a serpentine with another 3 poles in a fan, and then between them set perpendicular were two canter poles. So we started with walking the left bend fan poles, then doing a right bend to the right bend fan poles.. then around and over the two single poles, then back through. After we did that once or twice we went to the trot in the same pattern. Then we added canter over the two single poles, then back to trot for the fan poles. My takeaways were 

• Keep him short in his stride, but connected, so keep my reins slightly shorter so that I can adjust as needed NOT so that I can shorten his neck. He can have a long neck but needs to be connected. 
• Keep his nose centered between his shoulder blades. He likes to throw that right shoulder around, so especially in the canter, almost counter flex when tracking left, and ride that right shoulder around in a square turn. 
• Keep even rein pressure... he likes to evade the right rein no matter which direction we are traveling in, so.. hold it steady and keep his head on straight. 
• ignore the tongue. It is basically him saying "this is hard". 
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 And it did feel better when I had a slightly shorter rein. But he also felt like he wanted to invert and hollow some. Beth told me to use my reins and legs to correct that. I also got a little panicky because it felt like when he was "round" he couldn't hold the canter. And it almost felt like he had to lift his head and neck in the air, to help lift his right front up in the canter. But Beth said (and I think Jacel too on Thursday) that it's more the hind end engagement that is lacking. And... sure enough, when I insisted he stay round but kept my leg on, he could do it. Of course he also seemed to stick his tongue out then... and anytime I held the right rein. So... Beth reminded me that it's because it's hard and he doesn't want to work hard. And it's a habit. I told her she was going to have to remind me another 60 times.. but also, I'm still worried that it's not just that it's hard but that he's broken. She made the comment that *IF* he was hurting bad enough at a training level frame in the canter that his tongue came out... I shouldn't be riding him at all. But she was quick to add on... but I don't think it's pain as much as difficulty. And there is a difference. So... ride through it and see if it gets better. And it did, even that particular pass through the exercise. Once he settled into it... his tongue went back in. BUT... it still stresses me out. And I'm still a little worried. And.. maybe it's his stifle. I probably need to make an appointment to have him looked at by Dr. Barrow because it's coming up on a year for his neck surgery, which means he hasn't had any "maintenance" injections done in at least that long. And he's also not on previcox, so... he has a right to be uncomfortable. I just don't want to keep pushing and pushing if he's more than just uncomfortable. Especially since I (in theory) have the two girls to play with and do the hard stuff with. But he knows all the aids and tricks, so ... if I can keep him comfortable, I'd like to keep trying. So... now I'm all up in my head. And then, while I was feeling good about the lesson while I was in it... and immediately after... now all I'm hearing is the comment about how he's going around in a training level frame at best and... my brain is twisting that into... "I suck... he's barely going in a training frame and I felt like he was sitting and pushing and so much more collected". Sigh... I'm so delusional. 

 

After the lesson, Jamie wanted to hack Handsome to the XC field and to the water complex and since we finished early, I went with them. Dan was happy to lead the pack, and snack... and was a good Uncle and helped encourage Handsome to go into the water. Then we did a few laps in the treadmill. And then I popped him over one small log because... I could. Good pony. 

 

So... it was a fun day and we were enjoying ourselves (minus the tongue moments). And Kelli said he looked so good and Beth did too. So... hopefully I'm just pms-ing and that's why I'm extra emotional about it.