Todays lesson was spent mostly in walk and it was an eye opener regards contact and training philosophy.
Arena whilst not solid and had some give and was OK for walk and trot so that is what we'd planned but we rarely got out of walk.
C does not IMO truly take the contact in walk, yes I can fake it, but he doesn't take it and today was about not faking it.
Did some walk -> halt and turn about (as opposed to on) the forehand and walk piris. Clare asked how C was feeling and to me he felt like a school boy saying shan't and pouting, not being naughty at all but just sat there on the sofa not wanting to get off. With the odd star jump spook thrown in 
So Clare asked if she could have a sit and her opinion was that he felt confused and the rug had been pulled a bit from under him with regards to him taking as opposed to me taking the contact. Hence the sitting on the sofa not wanting to get off.
So she did similar work and he tried a few spooks with Clare but of course to no avail. She thinks he is but was also suprised at the fact he isn't easy, she doesn't think he is difficult he just isn't easy and if you don't ask correctly, he doesn't try to guess, you just don't get. Seems fine to me as that is pretty much me too 
At some points he took the contact down and deep, Clare said as long as he is polite doesn't snatch and doesn't take a heavy contact then he may as it is a symptom he isn't truely through and he should be allowed to but then ask him kindly to come up, then ask for a true stretch forwards and down. I did query this as have been previously told to give him a kick and get his head up.
She then got off and thanked him and I got back on and he felt so different, just clearer in his mind what I was after.
Clare told me to trust my instincts as to what what I felt; as from the ground when I said about him not wanting to get off the sofa she couldn't see what I meant but getting on she could feel it.
I do feel that in the past I've ridden him too assertively.
Clare may not be be a long term trainer for me, I don't have that foresight but she feels like the trainer for now, who can address the issues I want to address so I can look Sue and Pip in the face at supper.
Homework
Legs think long long legs.
Make sure sat on whole of underneath.
Outside rein and give inside rein
Todays lesson was spent mostly in walk and it was an eye opener regards contact and training philosophy.
Arena whilst not solid and had some give and was OK for walk and trot so that is what we'd planned but we rarely got out of walk.
C does not IMO truly take the contact in walk, yes I can fake it, but he doesn't take it and today was about not faking it.
Did some walk -> halt and turn about (as opposed to on) the forehand and walk piris. Clare asked how C was feeling and to me he felt like a school boy saying shan't and pouting, not being naughty at all but just sat there on the sofa not wanting to get off. With the odd star jump spook thrown in
So Clare asked if she could have a sit and her opinion was that he felt confused and the rug had been pulled a bit from under him with regards to him taking as opposed to me taking the contact. Hence the sitting on the sofa not wanting to get off.
So she did similar work and he tried a few spooks with Clare but of course to no avail. She thinks he is but was also suprised at the fact he isn't easy, she doesn't think he is difficult he just isn't easy and if you don't ask correctly, he doesn't try to guess, you just don't get. Seems fine to me as that is pretty much me too
At some points he took the contact down and deep, Clare said as long as he is polite doesn't snatch and doesn't take a heavy contact then he may as it is a symptom he isn't truely through and he should be allowed to but then ask him kindly to come up, then ask for a true stretch forwards and down. I did query this as have been previously told to give him a kick and get his head up.
She then got off and thanked him and I got back on and he felt so different, just clearer in his mind what I was after.
Clare told me to trust my instincts as to what what I felt; as from the ground when I said about him not wanting to get off the sofa she couldn't see what I meant but getting on she could feel it.
I do feel that in the past I've ridden him too assertively.
Clare may not be be a long term trainer for me, I don't have that foresight but she feels like the trainer for now, who can address the issues I want to address so I can look Sue and Pip in the face at supper.
Homework
Legs think long long legs.
Make sure sat on whole of underneath.
Outside rein and give inside rein
So lesson with Clare should have cancelled or asked her to ride as not been to work Wed/Thurs as sore throat, cold, cough and ear ache so have worked from home, so not ridden since Tuesday and back went again last night so am dosed up on pain killers (must go to chemist and check I can do brufen and paracetamol two hours alternate)
Feel like I was sleep walking not having got to sleep very early last night waiting for pain killers to kick in so the lovely smiley Clare arrives and gets to see C in his less than 
mood; you couldn't say he was naughty as he doesn't do anything and that is kind of the point he doesn't give any co operation, doesn't do anything he has not been asked to do, just not with you.
This is of course where the training holes really show when he is not giving of himself.
Have to say I don't like the contact we get on days like today. It is like holding hands with a wriggly child who doesn't want to hold hands but you need to so you're trying to hold hands without doing a death grip (tempting!) on the child's hand.
So worked on how to work around him when in this mood which is usual when he hasn't been in regular work.
Started off walk -> halt and moving him off on a specified hind leg, seat bone forward to allow and visualise and allow. Then trying to halt him as I ride him 'up' to the bridle ; so think diaphragm up as you halt, to lighten seat and to allow hind legs to come under you, sit straight though else he will rein back.
So lots of SI down long side on circle, 10m canter circles then some trot half pass which as Clare said sounds mad when he isn't connecting but he enjoys it so use it to jolly him into working. Started on walk piris to the left we're pretty good to the right he sticks or I stick or we both stick either way we get stuck.
Contact issue also down to fact he/we likes to take inside rein too strongly, to correct take the contact I want with outside rein, soft inside and occasionally ask for inside flexion, but mostly keep giving inside rein.
Need to decide what road I take, keep riding without spurs and sort out him being off leg whilst possibly being a bit out of comfort zone as different feel or go back to how we were.
Nicky out today for follow up visit.
Boy clearly happier to be treated, Nicky doesn't think the uneven muscle just behind poll is my training but injury mediated.
In fact Nicky doesn't think his issues are down to my riding/training :phew:
She is very pleased with progress.
Next visit in a month, may have to postpone Annabelle for now
Lesson 2
So back on board after physio and day off for boy yesterday.
Told Clare he'd had physio and what physio wanted him to do (lots of sideways stuff and easy) so Clare said she'd adjust planned lesson to suit.
Still feel a bit 
at findings; especially given he has been seen every six weeks by someone who never commented on the muscular development issues the physio did.
So walk warm up then trot then down to work.
1/ Walk 10m circle at C, come off circle, straighten then leg yield to track on hitting track shoulder in to corner, straighten then trot and on long side vary trot (not as far as medium)
2/ Then repeat in all trot.
Switch reins and repeat 1/ and 2/
then in trot 10m circle at 1/4 marker shoulder in to B or E 10m circle shoulder in to 1/4 marker, canter at 1/4 marker trot at B/E repeat change rein
SI on left rein initially messy, then realised I either helped him as best as I could even if my help not perfect so tried to help him more.
Then figure of eight in canter with change of leg via canter -> walk -> canter trans
Interesting debrief, Clare thinks I need to have more trust in what I can do, she also thinks the reason he sometimes isn't forwards is because he is protective of me and feels the wibble.
She thinks we make a good team, clearly we love each other and he wants to work with me (almost 
at this point) her opinion is I am lucky to have him as he is very special.
Her view is that he needs more variety in his flat work, other than a bird flying out randomly (so a genuine spook) she wonders if the spook at nothing is due to boredom or being too held in front and it is his way out.
We talked about me having him quite short (I will also do this when alone and wibbly) and how when he is short I feel safer, but as she said he can get out of it by doing a step spook sideways which is what he does in lessons. Oddly enough when alone and wibbly have just realised he doesn't do sideways spook step
Hmm ...
Clare clearly lives by NLP and is hugely positive in all she does, teaches and says. It really has an impact on both me and C. He feels much jollier with Clare, more vibrant and didn't spook once. Clare fits with where I currently want to go, I now want to ride C with a longer neck (now don't need short holding rein for confidence) and do more lateral work. I wanted to do this before physio visit but now I know for the good of my horse I must make this change.
I've asked to be taken on as regular weekly pupil and she has agreed and will make space (Mother is to be asked to babysit), she is happy for me to use other trainers.
New physio to Chorrie today.
LOTS to think about, seems odd both previous physio (eight weeks ago) and massage person (one week ago) didn't see as much 'wrong' as ND.
Looks like i will be getting lots of exercises to do, including pole work.
So best make use of Equissage/Magnetic rug/exercises and see how much we can improve him before next visit.
ND did say need to do lots of lateral work, in and out on a circle, SI, shoulder fore, leg yield with him.
Lesson 1 Sue Nevill-Parker
Brain over load, barely got out of walk. Was so delightful to see Sue again for all our email bickering and her strong views she is the one to whom all others are compared. She isn't perfect; I almost get to put her on a pedestal and she goes and topples off with something she says, but for all that she is I think quite simply the one.
Am not sure if my head is clear on what we did 
Sue asked what I wanted to work on said turning left, so did some work on Chorrie following a direct ( inside ) rein and weight, then an indirect rein and weight. He follows right rein on right circle well, less so left rein on left circle BUT if I use indirect rein to turn left that works better. SNP said this is because it corrects my weight to where it should be.
Did some work on buckle and fire drill.
Sue then rode him and on left rein asked for quarters out which I then tried to replicate with varying levels of success.
Interesting getting back on after Sue as she had done some lateral work (c/f lesson 3) Chorrie felt very jolly in a sane level headed way his body felt more available to me.
Took C back to yard, kissed wonderful husband 
who had come over with me goodbye and went back to Waterstock for supper with Sue, Joy, Pip and 'Anne the mouth'.
Supper was interesting, I have never been quite so pushed to tell someone to shut up before. Simply never met anyone like it and hope I never meet her evil twin; unfortunately I suspect she will be a permanent fixture on the clinics so may skip future suppers. or carry a roll of duct tape or simply walk softly and carry a big stick!
Lesson 2 Clare Goldie
Clare has trained with Emile, is qualified in NLP is a counsellor and I know her mother so was expecting a nice person but possibly quite front end oriented as so many 'dressage' trainers are but good with nervous riders.
Started off with age name of Chorrie and what I liked to call him, Clare asked how good a rider did I think I was decided to be honest and said I'm OK. I'm not a bad rider but I'm not yet a good rider. Asked what were C's strengths temperament, ability and forgiveness, asked what were his weaknesses had to think on this one and basically said he would sometimes amuse himself when I failed to be present.
Clare watched me walk round and said she felt C needed to be kept engaged and interested in his work, had a chat about the 'what ifs' and I think she could be very helpful 
ended up doing circle in SI decreasing size of circle, then leg yield out and as you hit the original circle path canter. Improved our canter trans no end and got that sane jolly feeling again. He was also fowards and I wasn't wearing spurs or carrying a whip. Then in and out to medium on the circle.
Clare made a fair number of positional corrections, mostly shoulders and tense jaw and looking down. Then had brief summary.
I have a good seat, nice hands when not tense and clearly a partnership with C whom I clearly cause to feel he is a special horse and that radiates from him .
Surprisingly (must learn not to pre judge) she wants as quiet an aid as possible and soft yielding hands so was wrong there unless that changes over time.
Then did trot large with the beginnings of collecting on short side and medium long sides.
Called it a day and walked him off, Clare said he was two horses in one a very nice workmanlike horse and something very special. Asked if at any point I'd felt out of my comfort zone and I hadn't.
Musings
I now firmly believe C needs lateral work to feel at his best, the jolly feeling is I believe him feeling good.
varied from a 4 to a 7 (Clare also judges and I asked how good it actually was)
when he shot off after some crows flew off the bales that line the long side as windbreak. Still least Clare has seen it now and I'm having a NLP session with her on the 6th. She is pretty confident I can be rid of the what ifs.