forward, bending, on the bit

but that's 3 things at once!

and really what we have been struggeling with the last month or so. I can get Odin bend, and on the bit and then we slow to crawl. Or he goes forward and goes above the bit. Or he rushes through my hands and stiffens and straightens out.

Sigh. It is a little bit frustrating, but I have had lessions which were really good, where it felt like his hind legs came up under him, or as L. put it: "His back needs to carry your seat forward and up".

the core of the issue is that Odin in general is not in front of my legs, especially the right leg.
This results in the sluggish-ness and the unbending and him feeling heavy in my hands.

After the schooling show I had rubbed him a bit with my spurs, because I nag, nag, nag, like you really shouldn't do. So off went the spurs, and we have sessions of small aid -> big correction. A lot of this has to do with getting my timing right, and expecting a big reaction from the smallest aid. I have to be constantly aware of this, so I don't go back to the nagging, and in the end this will be what we need for a harmonious ride. But doing it while I try to sit correctly, keep him bend, and then think in a micro second: did he respond correctly? that is hard.
Of course, this is also why riding is fun to me, it is the challenge of mental and physical work, of coordination...

Still doesn't make it less frustration when I feel I know what I should do, I just can't. argh!

We do have some good lessons, I get him responsive, forward and bending, and then he doesn't feel heavy in my hands which is a great feeling. However, we do have to go through some arguments to get there, Odin really wants to slack off, and gets a bit pissed when I insist that he works. L. tells me I need to learn with time how to get over that hump so I can get him working and him relaxing into the work. I think the main issue is that I am not always good at consistently asking for the same level of work and reactions, so he will try to skip out if he can.
But I think: More practice.

Oh, and the other day I got him nice and forward and collected in the canter, and we did a flying change or two (on purpose!) at the end of the lesson. And he felt really great. His trot also improves a lot after the collected canter, it just takes me too long to get him there.

chipping away at all those things...

Sitting back

So I have neglected to write since the schooling show, and I really should make note of all the stuff we have done since then, so I can remember.

On of the things we working on is my position. L. said she was afraid that if Odin would slip and stumble (the arena was a little slippery in one corner) I would fall over his head!

We did a lesson where L. told me to lean back. more. more! and I felt I was sitting with a 45 degree angle back. Going by the mirrors, I was just sitting upright... hmm. So I try to keep that feeling.

The other thing we did was longe lessons, and lessons where I was on the longe for the first half, and then riding afterwards. That was very helpful too, it helped me transfer the feeling I get for me seat on the longe to riding. Even having a lesson the next day is not the same. I can recommend this approach to anyone.

Speaking of which, longing worked a lot better, I think I had two things which helped.
One was letting go of my fear. I have still some fear of longing or going without stirrups, like all fear pretty irrational (it is not like Odin is suddenly going to buck and run off just because I drop the stirrups...).
I really tried to let go of it, in a visual way too. I imagined my fear leaving me, and flying out of the arena and away over the valley. In my mind I saw this ugly, black thing leave and drift away. Weird? Maybe, I guess I got the idea from an article I read on visualization, and it works for me, helps to relax me down into my seat.

The last thing which helped my seat a lot, both on and off the longe, is that L. started doing this thing where she went next to me on Odin, and pulled on my arm. She told me to stay upright, but not use my legs. So I had to use my core strength. I have never really realized how much you can use your core when you ride! Thinking of engaging those muscles instead of my legs and thinking of that 'feeling' helped me a lot, that is what keeps me in the saddle.
It also helps that I am working out with a personal trainer in a gym, and she helps me to strengthen my core and teach me how to use it.
Learning to apply that to riding has been a huge light bulb moment, and also helps me to let go of my fear.

So, some great progress on that front I think. I haven't video taped myself since though, but hopefully it will stick!