Anyway driving to Arrow I did think I should really ask to go over steering as it was blindingly obvious from Pooh last week I don't own this part of the puzzle.
Had a good lesson on Blackberry as always a lot of laughs plus as always when we're alone some thought provoking conversations that let me examine my views and prejudices a little. SFO is now looking at getting more weight going down my leg and arriving at my foot. So lots of wiggling my legs and threats about hammers :-) and mobilizing my ankles.
Did work with the rope and softening left side and stiffening right while staying on seatbones. IIRC SFO said she is always amazed at how every-time she thinks the problem is right side it is really over dominant left IIRC. Also I get a better pathway to what I need to correct if I go through my left side and then go right side.
Onto Pooh perhaps it was because I strolled down to the school casually that SFO suggested a free (as in non lunge) lesson? Said I was up for this and wanted to do steering. This is actually kind of mad on my part as I know it is going to expose holes in my equitation but you know what I'm now OK with that. If I'm going to make lemonade out of the lemons then sometimes you might have to try a lemon and just get on with it to get out the other side.
I'm still amazed at the argument I had with SFO in the past that she had me back. OK I wasn't rude or personal but plenty would have washed their hands of me am eternally grateful she didn't. The other thing I really like is I can just ask her anything it isn't taken personally and I don't have to dance on a pin head. I also like her honesty as I find it works for me.
So overall summary SFO pleased with the progress we've made and there was a lot of goods but I need to own my collapsed right side. So many things to think about!
The following is my understanding with additional comments by SFO
*******************************************************************************
Steering
Can break down into component parts in no particular order
1/ Turning
2/ Moving the shoulders
3/ Bend
4/ Flexion
5/ Moving the hind quarters
1/ Turning
==========
To turn you use your bulk body weight to direct the horse which way to turn. Weight to right to turn right.
You can turn with no bend (so like a plank).
You DO NOT need leg to direct the turn. Legs should be used as a pair for forwards movement *if* required .
2/ Moving the shoulders
=======================
As part of turning you may need to move the shoulders to keep on the path you wish to follow/describe.
To move the shoulders the hands are used as a pair and they move across the neck of the horse in a straight line that is parallel to the pommel. (the hands move as a pair towards the turn so that the outisde hand is close to the neck and the inside hand is away from the neck)
Again you do not need leg to move the shoulders. Legs should be used as a pair for forwards movement *if* required.
Ask / release / ask / release - nudge the horse around not hold and haul
3/ Bend
=======
Position left or right you may need flexion depending on the path you are describing (straight lines do not need much flexion ...)
Bend implies that the horse is bent evenly (preferably!) from nose to tail therefore the horse must be soft to the inside leg, at the ribs and the inside hind leg will have to bend more to stay on the curved line. look at most GP horses when they go through a corner and you will see a number of them step out with their outside hind leg because their inside hind leg is stiff and cannot bend sufficiently to stay in line with the inside fore. This is most noticable in passage.
4/ Flexion
==========
Achieved with the hands, may or may not be even weight in the reins.
Ask / release / ask / release - as much as necessary as little as possible but release do not hold neck in flexion.
Flexion is a bend in the neck and may or may not involve the rest of the horse. It can be done at halt. A show jumper may flex his horse's neck left and right without any change in bend. Some dressage riders do the same in an effort to supple the horse. A horse with a loose neck (disconnected) is not a pretty sight and a real pig to correct. Normally a bending exercise would help supple and the engage the hind leg but with a wobbly loose neck, this wonderful yet simple exercise becomes virtually useless!
5/ Hindquarters
===============
May or may not follow the path you wish to describe so adjust as necessary.
This is achieved by the legs as in a leg yield, moving the quarters with either a straight horse or with a little flexion/bend, or travers/renvers which implies that the horse understands bend.
COUNTER BEND
=============
Me: "I think I am confused about having counter bend / flexion whilst going round a corner. If I am on the right rein in left bend and I want to go around the corner. I should be in position left (because I'm in left bend) but I need to turn so I'd weight my right seat bone more to get the turn whilst staying in position left?"
SFO: Yes and no! My best way of describing it is "sit left and go right". Which seat bone to emphasise depends on what your horse is doing at the time. If all is well..... our seat bones will be 50:50 while you are in position left and your whole body goes with the horse in the direction of the turn.
Example - kid on a pony, in a "natural" balance (ie not thinking too hard but just sitting on his pony) is on the wrong leg, bent to the outside cheerfully unaware that anything is wrong and just rides around the corner, reins and legs flapping in the breeze!.
You could say "lead with your head" (Alexander) or "send your energy in the direction of the turn" or "turn your solar plexis in the direction of the turn" or "step into your inside (right) stirrup". Your body/bulk weight should go with the turn without you changing your position left. You may want to put a little more body/bulkweight over the right seat bone; the horse generally moves under your weight to "catch you".You may chose to emphasise your left seat bone and leg to "push" the horse to the right like a small leg yield. Either way, do not change the neck bend; not more not less, just the same
4/ Flexion
==========
Achieved with the hands, may or may not be even weight in the reins.
Ask / release / ask / release - as much as necessary as little as possible but release do not hold neck in flexion.
Flexion is a bend in the neck and may or may not involve the rest of the horse. It can be done at halt. A show jumper may flex his horse's neck left and right without any change in bend. Some dressage riders do the same in an effort to supple the horse. A horse with a loose neck (disconnected) is not a pretty sight and a real pig to correct. Normally a bending exercise would help supple and the engage the hind leg but with a wobbly loose neck, this wonderful yet simple exercise becomes virtually useless!
5/ Hindquarters
===============
May or may not follow the path you wish to describe so adjust as necessary.
This is achieved by the legs as in a leg yield, moving the quarters with either a straight horse or with a little flexion/bend, or travers/renvers which implies that the horse understands bend.
COUNTER BEND
=============
Me: "I think I am confused about having counter bend / flexion whilst going round a corner. If I am on the right rein in left bend and I want to go around the corner. I should be in position left (because I'm in left bend) but I need to turn so I'd weight my right seat bone more to get the turn whilst staying in position left?"
SFO: Yes and no! My best way of describing it is "sit left and go right". Which seat bone to emphasise depends on what your horse is doing at the time. If all is well..... our seat bones will be 50:50 while you are in position left and your whole body goes with the horse in the direction of the turn.
Example - kid on a pony, in a "natural" balance (ie not thinking too hard but just sitting on his pony) is on the wrong leg, bent to the outside cheerfully unaware that anything is wrong and just rides around the corner, reins and legs flapping in the breeze!.
You could say "lead with your head" (Alexander) or "send your energy in the direction of the turn" or "turn your solar plexis in the direction of the turn" or "step into your inside (right) stirrup". Your body/bulk weight should go with the turn without you changing your position left. You may want to put a little more body/bulkweight over the right seat bone; the horse generally moves under your weight to "catch you".You may chose to emphasise your left seat bone and leg to "push" the horse to the right like a small leg yield. Either way, do not change the neck bend; not more not less, just the same
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