clawing our way back up
My previous post detailed the abysmal 2-3 weeks Sid and I endured in December, apparently due to a wound on the side of his jowl that was bothering him. He’s pretty much back to his normal self under saddle, and we’re moving forward.
I do want to mention something GOOD that happened before all went to hell – Sid was giving me good canter one night and on a whim, I asked for a change from his bad side to his good. He obliged. I praised him profusely and tried the other side. He obliged. It appears changes are going to be pretty easy for him – that being said, they’re back on the back burner until his counter canter and canter/walk, walk/canter transitions get stronger.
I hadn’t ridden with Jana since early December – she couldn’t make it midmonth due to bad roads, then left the following week for Germany for the holidays. When she was back a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t ride with her due to my work schedule. I used to take a 5:15 slot with her; however, lately 4:30 has been the last open ride and I just can’t get away from work early enough most days.
Desperate for some guidance, I asked Mary Forck if she’d help me out. She has her training horses at the barn and I’d been impressed with her riding. I’ve had a couple of lessons with her and she has zeroed in on our weak areas, and much to my relief her suggestions and comments during our ride mirrored Jana’s almost to a “t”.
The past two weeks we have worked on “quickening” up his hind end, and making him a bit more reactionary to my leg and seat aids. When he was, he seemed to release and move into the contact in a very relaxed fashion. His transitions improved. The contact improved.
We worked on walk-canter-walk transitions. Spiraling in, collecting, collecting, then back out and forward on the 20m circle, then back in and half halt, half halt, walk. Though they aren’t there yet, by any means, he’s showing good improvement.
We’ve worked on leg yielding, even on circles and in corners, away from the inside leg to engage and activate that inside hind. Here I have to be careful to keep a steady contact on the outside, close to his neck, and not allow him to escape over his outside shoulder…ruining the exercise. Luckily I have a good grasp of how this should feel and how it should not.
We worked on transitions within the canter. Very forward with lots of jump, back as much as he comfortably can, forward again. Then if he started losing his carriage and leaning on me/collapsing, we’d go into trot, leg yield away on a circle/curve and back into canter. This was a GREAT exercise and when we picked up trot at the end and she sent us forward into a lengthening, he gave me the most awesome feeling ever. He REALLY lengthened!
We’ve also worked on counter canter, which is coming nicely.
Hopefully my days of working with Jana are not over – hopefully we can find some sort of connection SOMEWHERE on our schedules, but at least Mary is helping tons right now.
