Another fun day with Filly. All the usual prepare to ride completed with the addition of checking that there were no braces in zone 3 or 4. I wanted to make sure that she was supple enough, mentally and physically, to continue with the inside leg isolation training.
Once on board we started with follow the rail. This seemed to be going a lot better than before, she was really tuning into my inside leg. After a time Ritchie came in with Bonitao and started to play. She basically ignored them. However as I squeezed between them, a jump wing and the rail of the school she suddenly shot forwards and picked up canter. To start I was unbalanced and regret to say that I pulled on both reins. As soon as I regained balance I just went to the right rein and gently bent her to a slower gait. Ritchie then, rightly, shouted at me to keep her going and make her move her feet more than she wanted to. We went onto a pattern of fast trot with loads of quick turns in random directions. As she relaxed I asked for canter and we spent a minute or so just cantering randomly around the school. I did not ask for particular direction, just maintain gait at canter. As we happened to pass through the middle of the school I asked for a downward transition to walk. Phase one of this was to just let out all my energy and breath. Well she responded to that, we nearly did a slide stop !! Wow!
I think that she was really surprised that her introduction of energy was not shut down. I just said "if you are feeling energetic lets use that and have fun". I did it for long enough for her to be asking to stop so she was more than happy to obey my downward transition cue.
Back to the inside leg isolations and a funny thing happened. She was now super sensitive. Barely a thought on my part to ask for a turn created a turn. At most a slight twist in my hips was all that was required, a leg created an overreaction and a sharp turn.
After a time we lost this sensitivity and so we cantered on the other rein, again not worried where we were going just about the gait. Back to walk and the sensitivity was back. Five more minutes of practise at walk and that was enough for the day. We stopped in the middle and just hung out together for a while to make the center of the school a sweet spot rather than the gate.
As always James is correct. I can't get her sensitive and "straight" until I have got her thinking forwards. The brief canters got her to think forwards and then the straightness between my legs just naturally followed
Once on board we started with follow the rail. This seemed to be going a lot better than before, she was really tuning into my inside leg. After a time Ritchie came in with Bonitao and started to play. She basically ignored them. However as I squeezed between them, a jump wing and the rail of the school she suddenly shot forwards and picked up canter. To start I was unbalanced and regret to say that I pulled on both reins. As soon as I regained balance I just went to the right rein and gently bent her to a slower gait. Ritchie then, rightly, shouted at me to keep her going and make her move her feet more than she wanted to. We went onto a pattern of fast trot with loads of quick turns in random directions. As she relaxed I asked for canter and we spent a minute or so just cantering randomly around the school. I did not ask for particular direction, just maintain gait at canter. As we happened to pass through the middle of the school I asked for a downward transition to walk. Phase one of this was to just let out all my energy and breath. Well she responded to that, we nearly did a slide stop !! Wow!
I think that she was really surprised that her introduction of energy was not shut down. I just said "if you are feeling energetic lets use that and have fun". I did it for long enough for her to be asking to stop so she was more than happy to obey my downward transition cue.
Back to the inside leg isolations and a funny thing happened. She was now super sensitive. Barely a thought on my part to ask for a turn created a turn. At most a slight twist in my hips was all that was required, a leg created an overreaction and a sharp turn.
After a time we lost this sensitivity and so we cantered on the other rein, again not worried where we were going just about the gait. Back to walk and the sensitivity was back. Five more minutes of practise at walk and that was enough for the day. We stopped in the middle and just hung out together for a while to make the center of the school a sweet spot rather than the gate.
As always James is correct. I can't get her sensitive and "straight" until I have got her thinking forwards. The brief canters got her to think forwards and then the straightness between my legs just naturally followed
No comments:
Post a Comment