Cob Jockey

My last bareback ride on Connor was all about getting over the fear.  Sunday's bareback ride (also because I forgot my tights at home...) was all about progress.

She's only put one ride on him so far, but what a difference it seems to have made!  The only details I have came via text, and the ride was described as "awesome!" and that the canter work went "really well!"  I've promised not to canter him again until she has a chance to split a lesson with me and teach me what she's doing, but I can already tell a big difference at the walk and trot.  Not that he's usually lazy, I mean, he has his moments, but he was hot off of my aids on Sunday.  Unlike other "hot" days, though, he was hot in an easily containable way.  He just felt sharp and on top of it, and I can tell that she did a lot of transitions with him.

This led to some of the most explosive, driving trot we've ever gotten.  He felt like he was really sitting and pushing with his hind end.  Maybe it was the work my trainer has done, maybe it was how between my leg and hand he was, maybe it was the indoor footing, maybe he's felt like this all along and I'm just now noticing it because I'm riding bareback, but it was an incredible feeling, and something I've never felt before.

Riding bareback after our outside rein epiphany allowed me to evaluate straightness based on spine and shoulder positions, as well as back musculature.  For me, riding bareback always drives home the "ride the shoulders" idea, which is probably why my big sitting trot revelations have all occurred while riding bareback.  With the big, expressive trots like Lisa's cobs have, it helps me to focus on the connection between his shoulders and my hips, which move in sync.  A good sitting trot, (which I have only ever been able to do on Connor), in which my seatbones stay in contact with his back the whole time, requires more side-to-side swing through my pelvis than I would have thought.

I need to get some video, that feeling was indescribable.  Maybe soon.