Blocking: This is using the inside of my thighs to bring in the knees and slow the shoulders of the horse. This also describes a stillness in the bottoms/backs of my thighs that slows motion. Either of these, or some combination, can slow the gait, cause a downwards transition, or even a halt. Bringing in the knees is most effective in the trot, to maintain the gait but slow the shoulders. It seems less effective for a downwards transition or halt, and that's where the stillness rather than the squeezing feeling helps more.
Bracing: This is when I use the muscles that would normally pop me into half seat or two point, but they tend to engage when I'm nervous in a type of defensive position. Not so desirable in dressage. Instead of supporting me in a way that absorbs and cushions the motion, this use of my thighs and lower legs braces against the motion and pops me above it. Again, good in certain applications, but not what I'm trying to currently develop. I tend to brace when I concentrate, or when I feel nervous or uncomfortable, or sense the horse is out of balance, or rushing, or on the forehand, etc. While it isn't necessarily a bad instinct it's one that I would like to have come into play a lot less often.
Supportive: This is the good stuff, right here! By lifting the front of my pelvis slightly and thinking of the backs/bottoms of my thighs as an extension of my seat, and using them in a downwards way -- rather than an inwards way -- I follow better and get wonderful, cushioned, soft, following, balanced support. There is no gripping; there is a constant self-adjusting self-balancing set of shocks in my seat when these are engaged. This stabilizes me in sitting trot and in canter, without creating stiffness or tension. My seat is deep and tall and follows well when I engage these muscles. I think these are probably the most important muscles for me to develop right now to further the development of my dressage seat.
Anyhoo, mini-article aside, here's where things are at lately. I've gotten in a number of short rides, anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 minutes, since my last entry. I had been using bungee reins over the poll and clipped to the girth to encourage more softness, roundness, and less heaviness in the bridle from M, but the last time I used them she had a pretty good coughing fit at the canter and I felt really bad for her being unintentionally punished for stretching down. She's had a snotty nose since, and some big coughs, so I've left them off this week. She's actually going very well without them -- maybe they were a good reminder at least? -- and is doing less tuggy leany stuff into my hands.
I've been working daily on sitting trot, and would say I'm probably doing 30-40% of my trotting sitting. Oof! Poor M, but I am getting MUCH better! I had been having trouble keeping my pelvis at the correct angle without rounding my upper body down and lifting my hands. But when I started using the backs of my thighs again properly the other day, it made a huge difference and I didn't feel as disorganized. There is definitely room for improvement! But I HAVE improved!
I've found that keeping my hands wider has helped with a softer hand on the reins at both sitting trot and canter. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it feels good. Wider = still connected but softer, lighter, more following. I feel like I still have control and connection but I can move more. The contact feels more alive and active that way instead of like a wall.
This change of saddle has actually been very, very good for me. I can't cheat in it -- or at least not very easily! It also puts my leg back under me where it needs to be. I don't have to try to fight with a forward stirrup bar. Even though the AP saddle I was using wasn't nearly as bad as some for that, it still wasn't aligned like this dressage saddle! My leg is back under me and, I was pleased to discover yesterday, my thigh is flat against the saddle and couldn't be turned more correctly if I tried. (I did try, by first pulling my whole leg off the saddle, pushing my heels out wide, letting my legs fall back, then also grabbing the muscles on the backs of my thighs and pulling them out and off the saddle. They were as turned as they could be and didn't move at all when I did this! Woohoo!!!) I'm riding with a longer stirrup than I ever have -- they're more like shelves for my feet to rest on than anything else -- but it IS what this saddle calls for, and it actually feels good and stable (well, most of the time). I'm using the backs of my thighs to support me, more than that ankle drop that is so necessary to a forward seat. My body is having to readjust itself and learn some new muscle memory, and gain strength, but it's all good for me and it IS starting to click. I think gaining the right strength and position for this saddle will actually help me in all disciplines. Once my leg WANTS to be further back I know it will make Lauren happy if I go back for more lessons with her at any point. :)
The horses go back very soon. While the morning chores sometimes feel like a bit much, some days, I'm going to miss it a lot. It's been such a nice routine to start my day. And I feel like I've gotten to know all of them much better. I'll miss M most of all as she's been "my" horse for the winter. It's been so interesting to be (almost) the only rider for one horse for an extended period of time. We've certainly both learned a lot from each other and have developed a lot of feel for what the other's intentions are. And it's been nice to know how to "fix" things too. For example, I've accidentally taught her that when I shorten my reins, it's time to speed up. Well, she's not wrong! Ooops! So today I started to pick them up occasionally at the walk... and NOT ask her for anything more, then go long again. Got to keep them on their toes!
Also, she's been feeling a lot better lately. More forward, more energy. She tends to start off pokey but once she's thoroughly warmed up, I have to slow her down at least as much as I have to speed her up. She looks great, too. More muscle on her, and only just a slight amount of ribbiness, but not too much. She looks fit and healthy and younger than she did in the fall. She feels MUCH better in even just the last two weeks, at the canter. The weird choppy, hoppy canter to the left is gone and she's much more normal. (I always canter her to the right first as that's her better side and it helps get the stiffness out.) It probably helps that I've been a lot more relaxed too. My nerves come and go but I do feel stronger, and more stable and capable, lately. I'm sad they're leaving soon -- feel like I'm just starting to get the hang of some things! -- but I think that's always how it is in riding.
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