Today was Liz lesson day! Always a good day. And it was such a glorious day today too! The sun was out, the sky was gorgeous, and it is really starting to feel like Spring! Well, Summer actually. I got hot and sweaty today and sunburned! And poor Dan still has his winter coat. Poor guy. I really am hoping to not have to clip him, but dang, the poor guy might really need to be unzipped at the very least!
I did a very quick groom - would have been nice to do a much more thorough deshedding but I didn't want to keep Liz waiting. I tossed the bareback pad on and then, because I had to give the bosal back and mine hasn't arrived yet... and he was so unhappy in the western bit (and probably any bit to be honest), Liz and I decided to just ride him in his halter. So I put two lead lines on his halter and we headed up to the arena.
Liz did some energy work on him first. She said overall he felt MUCH happier and more comfortable. He did have one spot on his right abdomen... and then one spot on his right gluteal that was HOT! That's where his tear was. So we both worked on it. She taught me that my right hand was my "moving" hand and my left hand was my "drawing" hand. So, his abdomen just needed to move so we used our right hand for that. The hot spot was probably somewhat of a "toxic scar" energy wise.. and probably some emotional component too, so we used our left hand to draw it out. But we had to then make sure we didn't hold onto it and gave it back to the earth too. It was kind of cool to feel and he definitely seemed to relax and release. Then Liz mentioned that his heart chakra needed some help and that it was stuck up in his hyoid area. Which makes total sense as I got a HUGE release with him there Sunday. And that fits with his tongue issues and the right hind being stuck. She thinks that it's not necessarily a physical issue with the bit, but a bit of PTSD if you will. Which, totally makes sense. And maybe we're getting too "woo woo" about things and it's just not that complicated, but... she worked on him and then told me I was going to have to keep working on it and she showed me how. She told me that I was going to have to talk to him too. So I was thinking "do I send him mental images? Do I just tell him?" and when I was thinking about the mental images, he relaxed a lot more and let her get more done. So... then she told me to try and told me to sort of think about imagining things.. maybe focus on the fun we're going to have... explain that there's no pressure.. he doesn't have to be perfect at this.. that *I* don't know what I'm doing either, so we're gonna figure it out together and have fun. And that we're going to find ways to make him happy and comfortable in his body. And we just want him to heal. And.. then I thought about my heart flowing into his heart and he gave a huge sigh and got all soft eyed. Neat! And then I got a little teary eyed. Man... energy work is odd and fascinating and wild! So, then we got a good release and decided it was time to get on and do some work.
We started out at the walk and she was like... "that's a lazy walk, let's get more energy". And before she could tell me, I just sat up with my core and chest, and closed my legs on him (vs squeezing every stride) and he immediately got a bit more marchy. He didn't hold it though and then he petered out again, so I closed my legs a bit more and didn't get a response, so then he got a little tappy tap with the whip. (Which I remembered this time). And he got more engaged. We talked about his neck posture and how he needed to unlock just a hair and use himself so we could build his neck up. It's not about placing his head, but I did need a little bit of rein to help unlock his poll. So, if I sat a little to the outside (and sometimes to the left no matter which direction we were going) I was actually sitting square, which helped him straighten up and march. And I could use a tiny bit of inside rein, slightly lifted to help encourage him to unlock and allow the bend in his body. And then he could really march and use his neck properly. That's how he'll build that neck muscle. Aha! Okay. Then from there, we can ask for the trot. But not from a stuck neck. And when I asked when he was there, our transition to trot was much better and smoother. And the trot was better. Neato! We practiced that some and got some trot work in. Not a ton, but a little bit. And we got some really nice trot! Like.. even from the beginning he felt more marchy and less draggy in the hind end. Liz agreed. He was listening to my seat and body. Tracking to the left he was falling in with his haunches so she wanted me to fix that. I immediately pushed his haunches out and she said no.... now try it by fixing his shoulders instead. Okay... so I sat to the outside, lifted my inside shoulder and seat bone, and pushed his shoulders around to a shoulder fore, and... aha!!! He got straighter, his front end lifted, and he got more energy. Ooooh! That's cool. And duh!
We went to the right lead canter fairly quickly because I had told her about his struggles the last ride or two. She had me get a good walk, then a good trot, and then just ask for the canter. The first time I smooched and asked, he picked up the left lead and then immediately came out of it. She told me to be more supportive on the outside with my rein (don't throw him away just because I'm asking a little more with the inside for flexion) and to sit a little more to the outside...get that good neck relaxation and bend and then... smooch. And he picked it right up! We actually had a good canter!! I tried to go straight and we both collapsed to the right a bit so he veered in. I corrected it and sat him up a bit straighter, but... it definitely took some quality out of it. We regrouped and tried again and it was much better this go round, with my being more supportive of the outside. Yay! At that point she was getting close to having to leave and we decided that it was a good place to quit because he really tried hard and we had a lovely canter, a lovely downward to a beautiful powerful trot and then a lovely downward to a great marching walk and then a halt! YAY!!! And then, while we were talking about how good it was, I looked up and saw Funny standing in the pasture. The way the sun was catching on her coat made her look very white! At first I thought she was the water trough but it was the wrong place. And then she totally looked like Roany... and then a little bit like Fleck... and then I was crying again. But I was telling her that the trot feels so powerful! And it's neat because him and Funny are very alike but also very different. They are both so reactive to my body but she's almost hyperreactive whereas Dan does react, but it's a bit more of a slow controlled reaction. Which makes it easier to retrain myself because we don't get the slingshot effect. And how he gave me an epiphany today! Like.. THAT TROT was so powerful. It wasn't fast.. it wasn't big... but it was engaged. Oooohhhhhh! Fast doesn't mean engaged... finally I get what that feels like. It was super cool!
We chatted more and then Liz had to leave. She did suggest I keep riding Dan but don't do the right lead canter anymore. So... we ran through our WE test, which is kinda fun! I mean.. it's an intro test, but there's some 10 meter tear drops and a reinback, so.. kinda fun. And then we did the left lead canter. I forgot to sit up and collect him more, but it was still decent. And then we did the gate (WE style) and it wasn't great and he goes way too far forward before we turn back so we have to sidepass back, (while the cows are getting out!) but we did manage to at least do it WE style vs our style (smashing it open and shut with his nose). We hacked back in the pasture and did a tiny bit more trot and even got a few steps of right lead canter (whoops) and then I got off. He was sweaty enough and it was hot enough for a bath. And the butt foam! Oh my goodness, so much butt foam!
Good pony! I really think we're both going to enjoy this WE, WD and trail riding adventure. And Liz kept saying how great he looked and how happy he looked and how he was going to just kill it in the western dressage! And she also mentioned that by building his body back up this way, she really thought in 6 months to a year he could go be a fancy show hunter too and do some jump classes. :) She made my day! She's like Kelly Eaton.... makes you feel like the worlds best rider, even if all you're doing is a simple 20 meter circle. And she gives you hope about the future. Which... is a great thing. And hopefully Dan (and probably me too, to be honest) can work through our emotional duress about things and go back to being a happy, friendly, and dare I even hope for cuddly, boy again!
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