Riding, with a purpose
Trucked to the indoor this morning, after squandering the last three days on a cold bug and vacation laziness. We had some good work today, in structure if not form. I didn't get ahead of myself, I did a simple walk-trot-canter warm up, testing and tuning Clover into the aids, asking her to give to the bit and go forward off the leg, and making sure I rewarded when she responded.
That all sounds very simplistic, but it's taken me a long time to get focused into an organized, mindful riding routine. Always, always, always start with a warm up that tunes Clover in.
The canter was better today, considering it was just part of warm up and not something we worked on. Clover was forward in general and carried herself better. I could start to supple Clover in the canter and half-halt without her falling out of the canter. At almost 8 years old, it's as if she has finally physically matured enough to get a good canter. We'll see, though I do think our best flat work is about to come. Going to the left, though, I have to be careful to keep Clover straight, her haunches come to the inside. I wonder if that's something that will resolve with strength and fitness.
I did a little exercise where I'd leg yield 8-10 steps from the center line to a quarter line, then trot off down the long side, turn, walk and leg yield again. It's easier to get Clover's hind legs moving, and to control her shoulder so she doesn't lead with it in the leg yield. Again this is something simplistic, but I'm just really starting to get, how to position my seat and upper body, how much leg and rein aids to use, etc. I'm not coordinated enough to leg yield well at the posting trot; though if I can sit the trot I can.
I'm using the mirrors without awkwardeness now, they're a great tool and I can ride straighter and feel how straight should feel. Riding the shoulders straight is a great hint I read about in Dressage Today, I forget if it was Hilda or Lendon tip. I did a couple of long sides shoulder-fore at the walk, I think we need more bend, but the idea is there.
Clover got wiggly, which is good, because she's responding to my seat being all over the place, and she was fairly forward AND I could feel her using her hind legs more. Not the dinky-dink strides. But she was getting tired, and getting behind the bit and alternating that with getting heavy on the forehand.
I quit and walked her out for a good long while—her coat is very long and thick, I haven't clipped yet! Hope to have enough $ for big clippers this weekend. I'm kicking around getting ready for UNH spring, depending on how the weather goes and how much training and conditioning we can get in. I need to ignore the nesting urge and just get out there and ride when I can.
Today's ride really filled me with hope, that we can improve on past performances, that Clover is fully physically and mentally mature, and better still, she's in her prime. I'm eager to take advantage of it, like some great planetary conjunction. I still have this crazy desire to qualify for the Novice Championships, and school and compete at Training level. I think it's possible, even for this season. Depending on the rest of the winter weather.
That all sounds very simplistic, but it's taken me a long time to get focused into an organized, mindful riding routine. Always, always, always start with a warm up that tunes Clover in.
The canter was better today, considering it was just part of warm up and not something we worked on. Clover was forward in general and carried herself better. I could start to supple Clover in the canter and half-halt without her falling out of the canter. At almost 8 years old, it's as if she has finally physically matured enough to get a good canter. We'll see, though I do think our best flat work is about to come. Going to the left, though, I have to be careful to keep Clover straight, her haunches come to the inside. I wonder if that's something that will resolve with strength and fitness.
I did a little exercise where I'd leg yield 8-10 steps from the center line to a quarter line, then trot off down the long side, turn, walk and leg yield again. It's easier to get Clover's hind legs moving, and to control her shoulder so she doesn't lead with it in the leg yield. Again this is something simplistic, but I'm just really starting to get, how to position my seat and upper body, how much leg and rein aids to use, etc. I'm not coordinated enough to leg yield well at the posting trot; though if I can sit the trot I can.
I'm using the mirrors without awkwardeness now, they're a great tool and I can ride straighter and feel how straight should feel. Riding the shoulders straight is a great hint I read about in Dressage Today, I forget if it was Hilda or Lendon tip. I did a couple of long sides shoulder-fore at the walk, I think we need more bend, but the idea is there.
Clover got wiggly, which is good, because she's responding to my seat being all over the place, and she was fairly forward AND I could feel her using her hind legs more. Not the dinky-dink strides. But she was getting tired, and getting behind the bit and alternating that with getting heavy on the forehand.
I quit and walked her out for a good long while—her coat is very long and thick, I haven't clipped yet! Hope to have enough $ for big clippers this weekend. I'm kicking around getting ready for UNH spring, depending on how the weather goes and how much training and conditioning we can get in. I need to ignore the nesting urge and just get out there and ride when I can.
Today's ride really filled me with hope, that we can improve on past performances, that Clover is fully physically and mentally mature, and better still, she's in her prime. I'm eager to take advantage of it, like some great planetary conjunction. I still have this crazy desire to qualify for the Novice Championships, and school and compete at Training level. I think it's possible, even for this season. Depending on the rest of the winter weather.
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