Clinic Day

Organizing clinic days is painful, but always worth it in the end. Small town politics had me tearing my hair out earlier in the week - I booked the indoor arena for the afternoon and there was drama because that's when other people (who don't actually ever pay to officially book it) ALWAYS ride and I should have known and planned around that. Silly me, just looking at the booking schedule;) 

Lesson spoiler alert: this adorable pony needs to be ROUNDER.

Anyway, too bad so sad for them, I booked it so we used it. EC rolled in right on time, we started chatting, and I realized just how much I've missed her on a social level, too. After 3 years of seeing her at the barn almost daily, it's a bit weird to go to my current barn and usually be the only one there.

I audited a few lessons that were more along the lines of starting green horses or for beginner riders, which was actually super useful. It's always goo

d to get a recap of the basics. Here's a visual I liked:

- Re: turning the shoulders, not the head: Imagine you're the gunner in a tank. The horses head and neck are the gun out in front of you. So, to point the gun and travel straight at what you're aiming for, you have to pivot the rest of the tank (ie shoulders, with hindquarters following).

My own lesson went well, I think. We started in trot with travers to renvers alternating on the quarter line. I was like "?!? I have issues knowing left from right. Is this a good idea?" So in my mind, it was "banana shape, then the other banana shape, repeat" :)

Thank you, dressagedifferent.com

We then moved on to a circle for a bit, same exercise, then back out to the quarter line where I was asked to simply expand and collect the trot. B's been a star about that lately, and with the added connection and hind leg activity the renvers/travers exercise gave us, it felt really, really good, maybe best ever.

We moved up to walk/canter and the transitions right have got sloppy again - she's escaping out the side door a bit, and I've been letting it happen in exchange for the canter happening immediately.

Then, lots of canter, trot a stride, canter transitions on the circle. We practice this almost every time I ride, so this actually went super well and immediately improved the "sit" in the canter.

The good feedback:

- Trust myself, I'm doing well on my own. I have a very good feel (sidenote, this is a compliment I will always be the most happy to hear and strive to improve) I know what needs work and how to improve it. 

-B is sharp off my aids now, wants to work, and I'm not nagging. Huge win.

This much forward, all day long.

-B's weight is finally appropriate and she's really fit, looks "fantastic". ( I can't take too much credit for the fitness part, I think the majority of it was simply losing the excess weight rather than my weeknight rides)

-We look to be ready for any of the First level tests at the March show. It's a schooling show, so I'm encouraged to ride slightly above my comfort zone in the interests of good feedback for future goal setting. So, try 1-3, see what feedback is. Maybe I want to start there at the first "real show", maybe it's too much and I start back at 1-1 or 2 or even T-3. My show nerves being a consideration here too.

The not so good feedback:

-I'm letting the energy I've created escape out the front door too often.

-Need to fix that crooked canter depart ASAP before it becomes a thing.

-Hind leg more active...I've got it coming way more forward but it needs to be quicker and some suspension added back in. Especially in canter. Continue with Trot/Canter transitions as the best answer.

-Pony needs to be rounder than I think she does. Like PLEASE, T, get a handle on this already. For now, assume everything we do needs to be a bit quicker and rounder.

-I get the feeling that after a time out and looking at Bridget with fresh eyes, she's not averse to me looking for something to move up on, and gently opened that door, so...

Don't worry, B stays here!

Future planning:

-Horse I quite like at ECs barn is for sale. Would be an affordable, easy move up if I'm serious about eventing @ novice or above. Cue discussion of eventing vs dressage, and Cardi babies. And....a potential visit to a wb breeder "just to look" ;)

(Sidenote: a two or three year old would feel "right" to me. I'm not wanting to move off Bridget yet, so a year or two of baby training while keeping B in work would be a nice transition. Then B can trail ride and have adorable babies)

-Sell Bridget? A: No, never. 

-March: Going a week before the show to EC's, fit in some lessons (Jumping, so I don't forget how ;) Possibility to have EC's coach, Wendy, coach me at the dressage show for extra learning opportunities.

Return of the flying potato pony?