Dressage is a long, uphill struggle
My mind is totally blank; I know I had a lesson just a few hours ago, but the sieve in my head that passes for a brain just ceases functioning once my ass hits the couch. Lesson … lesson … lesson. I know there were some pearls of wisdom I picked up. Ah, here we go: Do what works. I was having a hard time getting Clover in front of my leg and following the rein, so Michele had me do counterbends up the long side of the arena and shallow bending lines. The counterbending really seems to help make the connection. Also, turning the key—turning my inside hand fingernails up to create more flexion and bend—while keeping the inside hind moving into it. In other words, coordination of the aids. Don’t get stuck. Do what works during warm up.
I also learned a better way to ride changes of rein across the diagonal. Instead of breaking it up into two halves and risking a change of momentum by switching posting diagonals at X, treat it as one movement (duh) and change the posting diagonal before turning on to the track at the end of the diagonal.
We also had a little staying forward on our own power refresher. Leg on, wait for her to slow, strong leg aid and leave it. Walk to trot transition, ask for trot, go to whip if necessary. We did a good amount of canter work, it’s coming along. I’m sitting better and staying back, not tipping forward so much, and am actually starting to use aids to bring Clover together in the canter and keep her going!
Michele had me practice the test straight out of the canter work, we had a good trot going and went from there. It was ok, the canter work was flat again as I concerned myself with just keeping Clover from breaking into the trot instead of asking her to come onto the aids and staying forward, like I ought. I’m riding Training test 2 again at this Sunday’s schooling show, to see if posting the trot work in the test improves our score over last month’s decent sitting trot but not moving big enough test.
I also learned a better way to ride changes of rein across the diagonal. Instead of breaking it up into two halves and risking a change of momentum by switching posting diagonals at X, treat it as one movement (duh) and change the posting diagonal before turning on to the track at the end of the diagonal.
We also had a little staying forward on our own power refresher. Leg on, wait for her to slow, strong leg aid and leave it. Walk to trot transition, ask for trot, go to whip if necessary. We did a good amount of canter work, it’s coming along. I’m sitting better and staying back, not tipping forward so much, and am actually starting to use aids to bring Clover together in the canter and keep her going!
Michele had me practice the test straight out of the canter work, we had a good trot going and went from there. It was ok, the canter work was flat again as I concerned myself with just keeping Clover from breaking into the trot instead of asking her to come onto the aids and staying forward, like I ought. I’m riding Training test 2 again at this Sunday’s schooling show, to see if posting the trot work in the test improves our score over last month’s decent sitting trot but not moving big enough test.
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