Haunches in!
Had a pretty good lesson last night; it didn't start out as well as the last couple of rides we'd had. It seemed like Clover was coming into heat: behind the leg, even sucking back a little. The last couple of times I schooled her she'd come out fairly forward, even staying forward when I picked up the reins into the transition to trot. Of course, I'm finally starting to really keep my leg on and use half halts--vibrate the reins, soften the jaw, whatever--when I do it, so that's what's doing the trick, really. I'm finally starting to ride. I know, how many times have I said that before? Hah, I guess that's what makes it such a process.
Since Clover was sticky in her hind end, Michele had me ride some quick turns to get her engaged, and then we did some canter work to finish the warm up--in half seat, gradually coming into a regular three point seat on an 18 meter circle (we like to ride off the walls to make sure we're not using them for balance). The left canter is improving, not so much leaning in on the left rein, so she's getting better with the left hind, bringing it underneath her more. Which means I've been better about my left aids, using my left leg instead of just gripping with it.
I wanted to work on leg yielding to the right, off of my left leg. Obviously Clover's weaker on the left hind, and the strain from a few weeks ago has compounded it, so any lateral work on that side has been more difficult. Sorting it out at the walk had been easy, but apparently I'd been overthinking it at the trot and started blocking the lateral movement with the right rein. Good to know! We did a few leg yields at the trot from the quarterline to the wall, but not from the wall to the quarterline or deeper into the arena, though Michele said that those were a good exercise as well.
We moved on to haunches in (!) which we used as a straightening exercise. Now that I'm riding Clover's shoulders straighter, it's time to work on the haunches. It was actually easier than I thought it would be: take the reins slightly to the outside, ask for bend to the inside, bring your outside leg back a little, don't collapse over your inside hip! Move the haunches off the track--not too much! It should be a three track movement, not four. Thank god for mirrors.
So, cantering to the left: Left rein open slightly, right rein up a little, haunches in. Cantering to the right: left rein up, right rein half halts, left leg asks inside hind to come under more, but also kick with both legs for bigger canter. And when I say rein up, that is until she respons, then bring hands together unless aid is needed. No hand without seat and legs or anything like that.
Since Clover was sticky in her hind end, Michele had me ride some quick turns to get her engaged, and then we did some canter work to finish the warm up--in half seat, gradually coming into a regular three point seat on an 18 meter circle (we like to ride off the walls to make sure we're not using them for balance). The left canter is improving, not so much leaning in on the left rein, so she's getting better with the left hind, bringing it underneath her more. Which means I've been better about my left aids, using my left leg instead of just gripping with it.
I wanted to work on leg yielding to the right, off of my left leg. Obviously Clover's weaker on the left hind, and the strain from a few weeks ago has compounded it, so any lateral work on that side has been more difficult. Sorting it out at the walk had been easy, but apparently I'd been overthinking it at the trot and started blocking the lateral movement with the right rein. Good to know! We did a few leg yields at the trot from the quarterline to the wall, but not from the wall to the quarterline or deeper into the arena, though Michele said that those were a good exercise as well.
We moved on to haunches in (!) which we used as a straightening exercise. Now that I'm riding Clover's shoulders straighter, it's time to work on the haunches. It was actually easier than I thought it would be: take the reins slightly to the outside, ask for bend to the inside, bring your outside leg back a little, don't collapse over your inside hip! Move the haunches off the track--not too much! It should be a three track movement, not four. Thank god for mirrors.
So, cantering to the left: Left rein open slightly, right rein up a little, haunches in. Cantering to the right: left rein up, right rein half halts, left leg asks inside hind to come under more, but also kick with both legs for bigger canter. And when I say rein up, that is until she respons, then bring hands together unless aid is needed. No hand without seat and legs or anything like that.
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