I had another lesson today, and my coach wasn't kidding last time when she said we'd start getting into more advanced stuff. We did some canter work, including some flying changes across the diagonal. This horse and I haven't been doing the greatest flying changes, exactly, but they're starting to improve. Part of the initial problem was stiffness and a lack of fitness on the horse's part, but she's started getting much more fit and balanced in the canter, and is looking and feeling great, so we're going to be incorporating more work like this as her and my fitness progress.

Our changes weren't going very smoothly, as I'm still not used to them and find them kind of rough. Unfortunately I exacerbate the problem by anticipating it being uncomfortable, and bracing my body, while also trying to turn her too sharply to force the change and get it over with. Oh boy! So for experiment's sake, my coach had me also go across the diagonal but try to stay on the same lead and proceed in counter canter. Well! I got much nicer, smoother flying changes when I didn't even want them. *facepalm* But it was a great lesson in asking more subtly and just LETTING them happen when I DO ask for them!!

Trying to maintain counter canter itself was a crazy mindgame. Well, mind-and-body game. I haven't practiced it in a year and a half, and the ring we're riding in right now is REALLY small so it's extra challenging to maintain it in such a tight space. But, trying to maintain outside flexion while turning to the inside?? Bwuhhhhh. My muscle memory betrayed me over and over and I would either accidentally ask for a change, or end up holding her too tightly and fall into trot. Definitely going to need to practice this! It's good to have a new thing to be baffled by, though. Haaa.

Otherwise things felt and, apparently, looked quite good. The only major feedback was really to move my hips more but my shoulders less when I post. So, keep my shoulders in kind of the same "space bubble" but have my hips come forward and back. "Imagine you're trying to push your hips towards your hands so you can super subtly do up your fly and hope no one notices!" That bit of advice totally did it. In riding, wording is sometimes everything.

Oh, and the shoulder. Always, the shoulder. That was the other thing. It's always my other thing. ;)

After the ride, three of us were standing around talking by M's stall and she had her head hanging out into the hallway, with her lower lip hanging loose and a soft eye. I kept scratching under her jaw and she was really into it, and her lip kept flapping around. She's not a super social horse, so it's nice when she's in a friendly mood and just wants to hang out with people and get some attention. <3