Hind dead end
Clover had a massage on Wednesday, and Deb found some sore areas in her right hind, under the haunch. Pretty much some muscles, etc. that affect abduction and adduction--basically the muscles that control lateral work like leg yields. So combined with an already weak left leg, no wonder the last few rides have felt a little weird. More so to the left, but also to the right as well--things aren't as easy as they usually are going to the right.
I've been having a hard time getting Clover's hind end going, she's been heavy on the left rein and very hard to get into the right rein. Riding backwards--trying to fix it from the front end--has been creeping back into my riding as a defense mechanism. Sliding back into bad habits. Michele had me ride shoulder out at the walk along each long side in both directions, to loosen those muscles and get Clover's hind end going. Once she started moving more freely with both hind legs, I finished the last long side with a turn on the forehand and went into trot.
It was better but Clover was still heavy in the left rein and unsteady in the contact--also, Michele had to keep reminding me to not ride backwards as well as relax my wrists--so we worked on a circle, doing some flexions left and right. Much harder to the left, much much harder. So we started working on changes of bends: counterbend up the long side, 10 meter half circle to change rein, shoulder out at the wall, straighten before the corner, ride the short side straight, repeat up the next long side, and repeat, and repeat.
Canter work was as good as expected, I was on the right track with some haunches in at the walk and trot before asking for the canter going to the left, and just remember to ask Clover to keep coming through the hind end on the right lead. We finished up with some sitting trot on a 12-ish meter circle, asking for leg yield at the trot (esp. going to the left), straightening, and asking again. Clover let me know what was too much, and when she'd had enough, by really backing off towards the end of the lesson, but we finished off with some good steps and better connection.
Michele really encouraged working on the lunge line with side reins once a week, and over poles once a week as well, as Clover's tight in the back again. But she is more responsive to the aids and much more forward!
I've been having a hard time getting Clover's hind end going, she's been heavy on the left rein and very hard to get into the right rein. Riding backwards--trying to fix it from the front end--has been creeping back into my riding as a defense mechanism. Sliding back into bad habits. Michele had me ride shoulder out at the walk along each long side in both directions, to loosen those muscles and get Clover's hind end going. Once she started moving more freely with both hind legs, I finished the last long side with a turn on the forehand and went into trot.
It was better but Clover was still heavy in the left rein and unsteady in the contact--also, Michele had to keep reminding me to not ride backwards as well as relax my wrists--so we worked on a circle, doing some flexions left and right. Much harder to the left, much much harder. So we started working on changes of bends: counterbend up the long side, 10 meter half circle to change rein, shoulder out at the wall, straighten before the corner, ride the short side straight, repeat up the next long side, and repeat, and repeat.
Canter work was as good as expected, I was on the right track with some haunches in at the walk and trot before asking for the canter going to the left, and just remember to ask Clover to keep coming through the hind end on the right lead. We finished up with some sitting trot on a 12-ish meter circle, asking for leg yield at the trot (esp. going to the left), straightening, and asking again. Clover let me know what was too much, and when she'd had enough, by really backing off towards the end of the lesson, but we finished off with some good steps and better connection.
Michele really encouraged working on the lunge line with side reins once a week, and over poles once a week as well, as Clover's tight in the back again. But she is more responsive to the aids and much more forward!
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