Monday, June 30, 2008

forward on our own.

With L. out of town I have been trying to keep everything in mind while riding.

I have ridden a lot forward, with very little rein, and it feels good. Probably not as much forward as we could go, but still a lot more movement. I think Odin really enjoys it, and he seems to be easier have forward now he has gotten into the habit of doing it. In fact, he now expects us to rush down the long side, and he does in almost on his own! Maybe I am dreaming, but I feel I need to apply less driving aids, and while he may not be more in front of my legs or on my aids, he does feel like he is more forward from the legs.

we have also done a lot of transitions where I try to use my seat and not my hands. It is still hard for me, but I feel our communication has become better.

Oh, and another thing. When we canter around the arena and attempt to speed, we just canter across the diagonal and does a change in the middle, like a jumper ^_^. Very fun, big changes.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Forward!

This Saturday and yesterday I had lessons, which both had the same focus: Forward.

L. had thought about how hard it is for me to collect and bend Odin, and decided to try something different, namely getting him going first.

So we started the lesson by L. asking me to trot and canter on the rail, especially canter, and canter forward! "Gallop, not lope! make him go!" So I tried to make him go, and I really have to get used to Odin moving with a bit of speed. It feels terrible fast to me, but it is probably just the speed I should want him to go in, also when he is put more together. L. told me to focus on the forward, and not worry about his frame as much, just giving steady contact and pushing. The lesson last night I noticed the difference when he used his hind legs to push more forward, regardless of the contact, that was the feeling I should be looking for.

It was a little scary, a little fun. I really wish I could go trail riding now, I think it would be good for Odin, me and forward.
Part of this was also to get me used to him moving and not crawling, and I think that it is really important for me to get used to this movement. The trot we also did while focusing only on forward felt huge. I had to shorten my stirrups, they have been stretching but I havn't felt until Saturday, I couldn't follow him in rising trot, hehe.

After going forward for some time, L. started to ask me to put him together and bend him a bit, while still going forward. It was easier to make him bend, even if it is still hard to keep the forward while putting him together. Also, I cannot sit his faster trot at all!

We also did legyields and transitions all while focusing more on tempo.

Yesterday I did a lot of transistions, trying to making him listen to my seat and not slowing down while making a downward transition. Very hard! I have a tendency to pull on the reins when I want to do a downward transition, which makes Odin lean on the bit and get long and sluggish. We did a 'communication' exercise, trot-walk from the seat. If he didn't react immidiatly to my seat, turn him a bit into the wall (instead of just pulling back). After a few tries, he got it, and the transitions came much easier.
The canter-trot transitions we did a little differently. I kept him really bend (a bit overbend in the neck even) and made the transition, this helped me to not pull back.
It is hard though, one of those things where both me and Odin want to agree to do it badly...

Then, after forward transitions, I was starting to have a half-halt I could try to get him to go forward out of.

I felt the progressions in these lessons where very nice, forward -> transitions -> half halts. Nice change instead of trying to collect him in the slow, slow gaits (not that all that hasn't been useful).

L. reminded me that I should always use the forward to something after I had got it, and not just continue to ride him around in a long, downhill frame.

This is definitely something I can practice on my own, and L. is going out of town the next to weeks, so we will see if I can be true to my intentions and do it. Most important thing is to be consistent in those downwards transitions. No pulling!

the forward stuff was fun, just cantering down the long side, and I think Odin thought it was a bit fun too. We were both a bit sweaty after that, though!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

More balance

Wednesday morning I had another lesson. We started out doing the same thing, forward and bending. After a little while with me continuing to push myslef out of the saddle, pinch my thighs and stading up in the stirrups, L. had me drop my stirrups.

I was trotting a lot I think without the stirrups, trying to really bend and collect him a bit while doing it. It helped my seat, but I keep being a bit afraid of going without the stirrups. Silly, since I know I can sit, and I can always make Odin slow down anyway.

We practiced using the reins without falling forwards, using my legs without pulling on the reins, lots of coordination issues.

In the end it felt better, and I got a better feeling for him being bend without falling to the outside with his haunches or going in, which was the original problem. Keeping him bend requires so much riding no rest.

I really should go without stirrups more often, but I am so reluctant to, too afraid.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Out of balance?

This evening I had a lesson, and I was struggling getting my body to do anything. I couldn't get my shoulders back, I couldn't find my balance, I kept being pulled forward, and I was pinching like crazy with my thighs. I just really felt off.
I couldn't even say I had trouble getting Odin to do this or that, since I felt I had no influence at all being out of the saddle. Very annoying. But I guess there are good days and bad days, I felt off since my morning workout, I couldn't control my body for my strength training either.

Other than that, L. asked me to wear my spurs again (of course I couldn't keep my toes in either...) and we did some forward, collect, forward, collect exercises in both canter and trot which were marginally successful. He actually stepped nicely forward, so that was a good feeling. Also, in the end of the lesson I manage to sit up a bit more straight (strong core, elbows at sides, relaxed legs, head up) and the canter felt pretty nice. Practice, practice, practice, some days more progress than others, but there is progress.

I don't know if he had the same resistance in the hind legs as he had Saturday, since I did not collect him very much.

Vacation, of sorts

these past two weeks have been vacation time, but I have been in town, since we were the ones who had visitors.
It did mean a little less riding time, and a chance for Barokko's mom to ride Odin. She did excellent, of course, schooling changes, half-pass and extensions.

I have been working more on the same, forward, with bend and on the bit.

The thing I have been thinking about is that I have to keep him a little bit bend to have him straight, and otherwise he will fall apart for me, due to his tendency to be on his forehand.
It is a little frustrating still, because I feel my skills are not there to do it, but I did have some really nice forward and uphill canter the other day.

Speaking of the canter, he was switching leads a lot in one of me recent lessons. I am trying to figure out if this was because he had been schooling them, and my half-halt on the outside rein was not executed with my inside seat bone forward enough, or maybe he has some soreness in his back or hocks. Or maybe a combination...

He does seem a bit more reluctant to collect on the right lead, showing discomfort maybe in his right hock? Odin gets a Legend shot every month, and there is a difference in how he is going right after and 14 days out, I think more than previously. I had his hocks injected last September, and was thinking that he might need it again?
I could also have become better at detecting the changes in how he goes, chasing that elusive 'feel'.

I talked with L. about it, and I think I might try an Adequan shot if the vet comes out soon, I don't want to do it on top of a Legend one so I can really feel the effect. From what I read, Adequan seems more long term in enhancing the joint fluid, whereas Legend is more short and direct. I would like to see if the effect is better or enhances the Legend, L. suggested to do it halfway between two Legend shots. I also want to do it while L. is in town, she is leaving in vacation soon, and I still need some help feeling everything.

On other fronts, I am considering going to a show this August, if the date works. Exciting! Terrifying! and I need clothes!