Day 1 - Bit of a strange one for me. I had the last lesson which I never normally do. Half the learning comes from watching everyone else so I think it threw me off kilter a bit. To much to do at home around the yard meant I didn't turn up until midday. By the time I'd unloaded, had a chat with Marian, wandered out to watch the riding (bit pointless when brain still driving) I was tacking up and riding.
Started by mentioning my absolute paranoia of wonkiness. Marian had spotted the week before that to keep me looking less wonky I needed to put my left thigh more on and try and drop my hip. All stuff Becky had mentioned before so resonated. I had worked on in this my one riding session all week (the guilt). Basically I need to get the left side of my body working. It just drifts along for the ride. So as I ride I look a bit wafty around the middle of the left and Eager feels like she has less rib and back on the left (colluding in our one sidedness) so to remedy this I need to keep my left thigh on, so I don't see the patches on my breeches (if I look down I can't see them on the right), feel like I am sliding my left hip away from my ribs and also but some stuffing in that space. Strangely I do find this much easier to do in trot than walk.
So as is generally the way, with that problem sorted (well not sorted, but with a plan to rectify) we then decided to work on Eager going along with her head in the air. Had a giggle about how she had made me look a total fool the week before at my local jumping lesson with Jonathan. I had explained to him that by me lifting my hands up she would lower her head. She then proceeded to totally ignore me for the next hour anytime we went faster than walk! The out persisting didn't work in this instance!
Becky decided that what would work is flexing the poll. So we started in halt by lifting the inside hand with an outwards flexion of the hand. Hold until she flexes the poll and release. This worked in walk and trot and by the session was looking like she does below. (awwwwww).
All this whilst keeping the left thigh in, sliding of the hip, stuffing the side and pulling her left back muscle over across her back (in my mind) to give me something to sit on. Simples!
Brain clear and off I again. She and I appeared to have done our overnight processing, body felt less awkward but still conscious that I needed to think about it and she was reacting well to the poll flexions and her head was coming down nicely. Clearly this isn't enough so I thought we would have a play on shoulder in. Right rein she made a few really good attempts and could loosely be described as shoulder in (work in progress). But I know shoulder in on the right is just easy for me it just happens everywhere in my body for it to work. Left rein.... Nope. For me it just goes against every thing in my body to do it, so every move is a conscious effort for my body to look left. Agh not only do I feel awkward, but she wouldn't play ball at all either. So, lets try counter shoulder in. This is how I taught her she could bend without turning. I think eventually, we had slight attempt or maybe a step. But still difficult. She doesn't want to put any weight on her right shoulder, only her left (hence Jean advising It was much more built up). But.... In between shoulder in attempts what we are absolutely nailing is a great trot, with neck extension. A trot that well and truly feels like home for me. The next exercise that Becky gets me to try and do is to get Eager to use her right shoulder... The wiggle snake. Neck reining her in a wiggly snake from left to right, shifting her shoulder weight from left to right. She struggles again to put weight in the right shoulder. So try to make it easier by making the right the fence line (where they like to be). Bingo!
I then floss off on my fabulous trot and ask her to canter on both reins for small circuit of canter on each rein. Woohoo we do it right first time. Only the 2nd time I have asked for canter in her new position of holding her own body. It definitely, without doubt comes from the neck extension. The session finishes on a good note :-)
I then floss off on my fabulous trot and ask her to canter on both reins for small circuit of canter on each rein. Woohoo we do it right first time. Only the 2nd time I have asked for canter in her new position of holding her own body. It definitely, without doubt comes from the neck extension. The session finishes on a good note :-)
So things to work on:
Left leg on (so pads disappear) stuff left side and ease hip down.
Poll flexion to get head down and also action reaction. Through all paces and transitions.
Shoulder in left. Doesn't want to put weight on right shoulder. So try do counter shoulder in on right rein. Whilst doing poll flexions.
Wiggle snake on left rein to get her to use right shoulder by going onto the track by neck reining. So to get go let move both hands and weight to the left.
Keep pace in neck extension
The whole session left me feeling a bit numb. this happens, its like brain overload. Not quite overload but you just need time to process, get your muscles to remember what you worked on. Also it's emotional. Not sure why. Maybe it's a release or the relief you have found a solution. We all get it a Ashen at some point and we all understand. I have shed more tears in front of Becky than anyone in the last 10 years. I wouldn't say it was for the sympathy.... But it is for the empathy. Everyone their just gets it. The bond with our horses is so strong, we devote so much to them. Time, money and our hearts. This by all accounts is a 'riding lesson'! This 'lesson' can last well into the night and poor David can jut about get two words from me. After 15 years... He too is getting it.
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