Yesterday's post may have made it sound like I'm stepping back from training, but quite the opposite. When work allows, I'm still putting in all the same amounts of effort I usually do, just without the mental baggage.
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| A hastily taken photo before the pony walked away from me |
I've been focusing a lot on my hands. I start most of my rides in a First Level frame, and gradually supple him with lateral work and corraling his squirrely right shoulder. I go through the First Level movements - can I leg yield without pulling? Can I halt without pulling? Can I make him do everything in shoulder fore?
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| Allllllll the heart eyes for the way this saddle still fits |
Once he's feeling good there, some days I'll ask for collection, and some days I'll keep the longer frame. The forward hands are really making progress but they're not a habit yet, and when I start asking for "stuff" I lose it.
Last night, he felt amazing. I could feel an open throatlatch and a supple, forward horse as I worked through the First Level stuff. I want to carry that feeling into the Second Level work, when we're ready to re-add it.
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| "Actually working hard is hard" |
As it should be! Great job :)
ReplyDeleteEven just your blog posts sound more relaxed <3
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