Thursday, April 5, 2018

This morning I rode for about 35 minutes. Which is actually on the longer side for me lately; a lot of my rides have just been 25 minutes. Trying to take a BIT more time while I'm up there anyhow!

Did lots of transitions. The canter continues to improve for both of us. I did sort of a trot serpentine with a 15m canter circle at each end and a 20m circle at the half way point down each side, but I varied some of it so the places for the transitions wouldn't be as predictable for her.

I continue to get stronger supportive seat muscles. It's amazing what a difference it makes when I remember to use the backs/bottoms of my thighs to support me. Everything else starts to click, plus it cushions my ride without gripping or tensing. It's a good feeling and I want to do as much as I can to strengthen those muscles before the horses go back. Still really enjoying the change of saddle, even though it is a bit of a head trip and I feel like I have to ride very differently in it.

One of my favourite parts of today's ride was, just towards the end, doing a nice forward trot on a long rein and feeling her stretch down and really move through her whole back and whole body. She wasn't nearly as cough-y today, either, so that meant less brace in both of us. Less snot in her nose. So, good! Still no bungee reins but she's been very good and light and moving better anyhow, so they've maybe done their job for now.

I did a tiny bit of trot with no stirrups towards the end of the ride, but something was clicking like crazy, a buckle or something, and it was distracting/concerning me so I walked her out and hopped off. Didn't find whatever it was, though.

I can feel a bit of imbalance in my hips that I don't think was as pronounced in the previous saddle -- but it is ME and not the saddle! I think it's at least partly caused by my right side wanting to shorten on me. Just need to keep working on staying LONG on that side.

The thigh-rolling test was A+ again today. Perfect thigh position flat against the saddle. That was cool.

I also feel like I'm finding a more effective way to close my thighs that doesn't pop me up out of the saddle on downwards transitions. It seems to come from a place higher up than where I was squeezing before. Closer to those supportive muscles I'm trying to develop.

Still lots to do to work on staying loooooonnnnnngggg at all times. But, it's coming!

I also need to sit deep and stop leaning and pumping to get her up into canter. I need to sit deep, ask, and instead of trying to SHOVE her into it, just stay still and back up my outside leg cue with my whip. Why is sitting still and doing as little as possible so hard?

I'm also noticing a distinction in how I use my lower leg to move the horse over vs. how I ask for speed. Going to use more of the flat of my calf for "over," and more of my ankle for "go," I think. It's a distinction that makes sense to me and seems to make sense to the horse.

Cute moment from after the ride: I gave her a very small handful of her new grain that she likes, as a treat, then started blanketing her. She kept stretching her neck and head down and around on this funny angle and looking at me kind of sideways with a lip nudge to say "MORE please!" and it was ADORABLE. I never give her treats so it must have been pretty exciting for her. I'll have to be careful though because she was SUCH a mooch and I could see it getting to be a "thing" very quickly.

As much as I like her I've never felt a super strong "bond" with her but that's definitely changed over the course of this winter, and I think it's mutual. She seems interested in me instead of just indifferent, and we both seem nice and at ease with each other. It's a good feeling. I'll miss her a lot once they go back home, even though I'll still see and ride her once or twice a week. It's not going to be the same as her being "my" horse for the winter.

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