Homework I Want To Do
Don't you wish all homework left you with a Huge Stupid Grin on your face? For some reason calculus never quite did that for me the way riding homework does.
I've ridden three times since the clinic and have worked dutifully on my homework every time, minus the video part since Michael was away on a sailing trip until late Wednesday night, and best barngirl Jess is away in Florida for the week while I take care of all her critters. But I've been focusing a lot on being mindful as I pick up the reins and go from free walk to working walk, working that canter transition, and sitting IN the saddle during the canter instead of doing my weird hover-boat air-hockey seat.
The first day was actually a little discouraging. A change in environment from OTREC back to home seemed to cause Dino to completely forget everything we worked on last weekend. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Dino, please canter!
Dino: YOU MEAN FLING MY HEAD UP IN THE AIR AND RUN AWAY AT A SUPERTROT LIKE A DERANGED LLAMA!?!?!? GOT IT!!
Me: Um, no. No, not quite like that.
We ended Sunday's ride with one very nice right-lead canter depart and some okay left-lead departs, but the pony was pretty tense and worried about the left-lead canter.
Monday it rained.
Tuesday was MUCH better. We achieved some very solid transitions in both directions, and I had some golden moments of actually sitting the canter correctly. I did notice that once we get a really good, more collected canter going, it's tough for Dino to hold it for very long! He can canter around in a long frame all day long, but he's definitely very physically challenged by the collected canter. More goals to work towards.
Wednesday's ride was PHENOMENAL. It took fewer tries to get a good canter depart on each lead, and I sat correctly the entire time. After having softer, rounder, more relaxed up transitions, Dino was also much more willing to continue in a gorgeous collected canter, and I rode around with a Huge Stupid Grin on my face almost the entire time. Getting him to trust my hands when I pick up the reins is going to take a little longer, but I can definitely see how my riding better is building his confidence in me.
I can't wait to get back in the saddle today and see what else we can accomplish!
I've ridden three times since the clinic and have worked dutifully on my homework every time, minus the video part since Michael was away on a sailing trip until late Wednesday night, and best barngirl Jess is away in Florida for the week while I take care of all her critters. But I've been focusing a lot on being mindful as I pick up the reins and go from free walk to working walk, working that canter transition, and sitting IN the saddle during the canter instead of doing my weird hover-boat air-hockey seat.
The first day was actually a little discouraging. A change in environment from OTREC back to home seemed to cause Dino to completely forget everything we worked on last weekend. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Dino, please canter!
Dino: YOU MEAN FLING MY HEAD UP IN THE AIR AND RUN AWAY AT A SUPERTROT LIKE A DERANGED LLAMA!?!?!? GOT IT!!
Me: Um, no. No, not quite like that.
We ended Sunday's ride with one very nice right-lead canter depart and some okay left-lead departs, but the pony was pretty tense and worried about the left-lead canter.
Monday it rained.
Tuesday was MUCH better. We achieved some very solid transitions in both directions, and I had some golden moments of actually sitting the canter correctly. I did notice that once we get a really good, more collected canter going, it's tough for Dino to hold it for very long! He can canter around in a long frame all day long, but he's definitely very physically challenged by the collected canter. More goals to work towards.
Wednesday's ride was PHENOMENAL. It took fewer tries to get a good canter depart on each lead, and I sat correctly the entire time. After having softer, rounder, more relaxed up transitions, Dino was also much more willing to continue in a gorgeous collected canter, and I rode around with a Huge Stupid Grin on my face almost the entire time. Getting him to trust my hands when I pick up the reins is going to take a little longer, but I can definitely see how my riding better is building his confidence in me.
I can't wait to get back in the saddle today and see what else we can accomplish!
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