Another great lesson

Oh yay!! I'm so glad I got to have another flat lesson with Jacel! It's just so helpful. 

We added on to the last lesson. We decided we could move past the square, but remembered to keep it in the tool box if we needed it. So today we focused more on getting a better rhythm. She tends to sling herself forward and gets runny vs sitting and lifting and pushing. So we slowed it down. The calculated walk and trot and canter. (Canter is hardest!). When I slow her cadence down... she can breathe and think and use herself and doesn't get stuck in the momentum. If I slowed her rhythm with my body, and some well timed half-halts, but then ignored her face... she really could use herself better. And the twisting in her poll went away... as did the chompies. It's hard, but when she settles into her, she is really lifting her back and using herself. Even though it feels like a western pleasure jog, Jacel said she was actually tracking up. (Which... even when she's power trotting, she's really not tracking up). And if I just sit tight and wait... she'll come into a soft even connection, with an open poll and lifted back, and is using herself. It's lovely! It doesn't last long, because she's not used to it and needs to get stronger, but it's lovely! It's definitely harder going to the left though...I just have to stay and wait patiently and not let her talk me into letting her get quicker. It does help if I add a little outside rein half halt every now and then while maintaining the slower tempo. 

 

I also had to pay attention to my left hand. No wonder my shoulder hurt so bad the other ride... it kept crossing over and pulling. NO! When that happens... that's my alarm bell that I need to fix my body. I need to post my outside hip to her inside shoulder. And I need to open my outside leg to allow her body to actually move to the right. I tend to inadvertently block her... and then pulling the left rein across her neck also shuts down her inside hind. She can follow her nose... I can open the rein... I can bring it wide and back, but I cannot tuck it in and cross the withers. But, usually, if I just shift my posting to the inside shoulder... it works and I don't need my hand!

We did it at the walk, trot, and canter and... even though it's definitely way harder trotting left and harder at the canter... she was much quieter and calmer in the trot after the canter and I was able to get her to go into a slower cadenced trot immediately after the canter, which is a big deal! She usually gets so worked up with the canter that the trot work after falls apart. So yay! It was a hard lesson with a lot of "ugly" in between the lovely moments. But it's definitely worth it. Lyric was happier and using herself more correctly. 

 

Afterwards we went for a little hack. But on our way to the fields we walked towards the trailer to say hi to Courtney and keep talking with Jacel. I stopped and let Lyric graze for a second and she somehow crept under the rope. Oh jeesh... I thought we were about to die.. I figured she would panic and flip out. But she was so good... she started to lift her head and then realized she was underneath it and just... lowered her head and let me back her out. Phew! Good girl! So then... then we went for the hack. We hit the gallop trail and I let her have a little canter. She didn't drop it into a gallop, but... she also didn't want to come back down to a trot. We had to do a circle through the hay fields. Whoops! Sorry Lucy! One day I'll have her jump tack on and we can really try the trot and gallops!