Consistency is its own reward

Clover remains healthy, and despite having a minor cold this week, I've been able to string together several evenings of riding. Still mostly doing school figures at the walk, but gradually adding a little more trot each ride. It's been mild, and once the field rideable, we can start adding in some long, slow conditioning.

Read back through some old lesson entries and see that all of the observations from this lesson back in 2006 still apply:

• Add “release legs” to position checklist, will help unclench seat



• Don’t pinch with legs, take legs off and tap with whip



• Going to right, carries haunches to left, weak left leg, wants to compensate with right leg


• 
  shorten reins so hands can stay in front, about in line with saddle pad


• 
  stay tall, hands out in front, don’t pull hands back



• no riding backwards – keep hands in front



• don’t take back – bend one way or the other



• serpentines help with suppleness



• canter helps loosen up



• what is up with my diagonals at the trot?



• half halts outside rein, inside rein softly shows bend, where you want them to go



• don’t forget to soften outside rein when bending!



• hands quiet–fingers give and take



• don’t want my upper body to come over hands



• ride forward through corners–right hand grabby, soften right wrist



• bring forehand in a little bit on circle–leg yield



• trot poles on circle/canter work



• you can ride, ask her to come together, just don’t take backwards on the reins