Metaphor of today

In today's lesson, I was working on the general stuff I have been all week, namely getting Odin to move in balance, with out me hanging on his mouth, and letting him hang on my hands (we're really good at the dragging each other off balance, making it worse and worse).

One thing L. (my trainer) focused on today, was the fact that he is out of balance and doesn't bend on the circle. One of the reasons for this is that he is not in front of my legs, so he is just slugging around.

We did some exercises like haunches out, leg yields and turn on the forehand, to get him more responsive to my legs. However, L. nailed it when she said that I really don't have the right idea about how he should feel when he is in front of the leg, I am satisfied with a little bit. Like I ask him to go more forward, and maybe he does, a tiny bit, for two steps. I have to demand more.

So the metaphor she used, which I think works for me, is that he should be like a puck on an air hockey table. The very slightest of aid should have him move, and keep moving. He is like an hockey table with no air, I push, he moves, stops, I push again. Turns into nag, nag, nag, and he really isn't in front of my leg. So I have to turn the air on!

A lot of this is really mentally demanding a really good answer from him. He can do all this stuff. He knows what he should do. He just knows he can away with not doing it. Then I tell him no, he has to, and then he gets all huffy and puffy, because he knows that there is a chance I will be intimidated and back off. So I really mentally needs to tell my self that I am doing the right thing, I should be aware of what I ask and get it.
And then he will grunt, say OK, and do it. Wonderful well balanced canter suddenly, isn't it nicer for him to be in balance and bending nicely too? Hmmm....

Anyway, I need to turn the air on for that table, be able to make him respond to the lightest of aids. Maybe then I can rid of this stupid nagging habit I have!


on another note:
- I was riding Sunday, when suddenly there were two coyotes outside the arena. Bigger than one should think. I think I was more startled than Odin (hugs my safe, sane horse)
- Echo tagged me, I will get around to that, I hope.