Monday 4th September - Schooling - Outdoor school

So the plan was to simply do an easy session in trot, the reality was different (!)

Started off in walk on right rein as usual, all good, swapped to left rein and got the yawing at A because I'm on my own my brain goes to is he OK and from there we spiral into a small pit of doom.

Logically if he wasn't OK would it only happen at the A end of the school which is where I loose my concentration. So after a pep talk to myself we did get some reasonable work.

Learnings

1. Retain concentration at A end of school
2. Activate left hind leg
3. Persistence, insistence and consistent  

Sunny Schooling

Lovely morning warm and first session of the year in a polo top :-)

Halts are much improved and much softer to the contact.

Walk -> Trot transition much sharper (not carrying a whip), being fully committed to transition makes it a better transition

Trot feels more forward from the start, need to remember however to swing in the trot so he swings in the trot.

Pirouette on left rein so counter flex right and pirouette around left hind to end up on right rein are improving in walk and OK in trot.

Pirouette on right rein so counter flex left and pirouette around right hind to end up on left rein is sticky but improving  must  remember to start as a volte change bend then piri, to help him round. In trot is 'rustic' but he is maintaining the trot now so progress

High as a kite

I am as high as a kite went into the arena this morning with a plan:

"To do my homework and achieve at least 60% of how it was with Tom"

Well we achieved that and more and I made sure I smiled.

It wasn't until I left the arena that I realised how long it has been since I walked out of a schooling session not worrying  will he / will he not be ok.

There was the period of rehab. which was always a worry if the legs would take the strain, then would he stand up to cantering?

It was so nice to walk out feeling I had my boy back :-)

Monday Schooling

Turned boy out first whilst I mucked out etc, went and spoilt his morning I'm sure by catching him in just before 11:00.

Sunny and warm with a nice breeze so lovely for riding.

Worked on halt just waiting for him to soften,no getting into a 'fiddle fight', ask for the halt get the halt, relax hands and wait.

Worked on travers in walk and trying to make sure I am not clinging onto the outside rein! So it is either

1/ getting easier and I am improving

or

2/ it feels easier and better because with no eyes on the ground am making a dog's dinner of it and hence it feels better :-)

Gentle reader you decide!

Did some trot work but not too much as need to put his hat on as he is getting bothered by flies so decided to call a halt and take him in.

Enjoyed myself :-)

Need to decide tests for Sunday and SOON!

Sunny Easter Sunday Schooling

Today I was prepared for the heat, bottle of squash in freezer and alarm set for 06:30 so I could ride before the heat of the day.

Alarm goes off revealing overcast cool morning so have another hour in bed :) Off to yard turn Fred out start to groom Chorrie and notice he has a lump palmar medial right hind. Cold, solid and not sore to palpate so carried on with plan to ride him.

Walked on looser rein, did some travers might have been renvers *doh* need to get them nailed in my head next time I see Clare as find it worse than left/right.

Went over simple changes as these need to be nailed fairly soon, Chorrie can do good simple changes it is Peppa Pig on top who struggles!

Finished off with some halts and woo hoo and praise to the Goddess of Halts because

1/ I remembered to not fiddle the front end but let him be

2/ He stopped the yawing and stood

Result, also need to get this sorted.

Monday 18th April

Hmm one of those mornings, nothing like a bout of IBS to start the day with a bang, almost literally as had to hot foot it to loo, there really is nothing like Too Much Information is there! Oh and the sore throat/ear ache is back too!

So toddled off to yard turned Fred pony out, mucked out then got txt from Clare who is unwell with sore throat and no voice so lesson cancelled.

Almost turned C out but thought had better ride as he had day off yesterday and we don't want him thinking he is retired. Tack up go to school go to get on and notice stirrup iron looks 'wrong' so closer examination reveals pin in flexi joint has moved so stomp back to tack room to get another iron.

Go back to school and get on, Jess is riding Dell, so nice to have company especially given Jess knows how to ride in a school.

Walk and trot on long rein, canter on a looser rein to warm up.

Today was mostly about canter and aiding for canter, easy on left rein, less so right rein as left leg somewhat aberrant in its aiding *tsk*

Mixed feelings overall pleased how left is improving, somewhat frustrated with me on right rein (as if that helps!)

Need to bear in mind it wasn't that long ago I couldn't get canter if I wasn't wearing spurs and carrying a whip so it is progress, however at some point to keep saying that will just become making excuses!

Seems like I'm the only one that likes the Shadows so maybe not best choice of music for my freestyle :-)

Tuesday 5th April

What were the challenges?

Riding in the wind and rain, riding when feeing tired, riding when still a bit *eek* over new horses.

How did we deal with the challenges?

Figured twenty minutes better than nothing so resolved to just ride for twenty minutes.

Maybe motivation to ride CD is working?

What went well?

Actually got ass in saddle and rode when raining and windy that is an improvement.

Worked using 80% of school

Worked on serpentines keeping legs long and staying central

What went less well?

Softness lacking so worked on that with transitions trot -> walk -> trot

How well did I ride?

Fair to good

29th March Schooling

What did I do (on both reins)?

Long rein

Pick up walk, add in halts.

Trot large and loose

SI long side, straighten canter large, trot at C

What went well?

Long rein work

Came out more forwards than yesterday.

What went less well?

SI long side, straighten canter large, trot at C

What were the problems?

Initial lack of softness

Holding in canter

How did we deal with the problems?

Trot -> walk -> trot for softness

Thinking of rhythm and imagery to help with holding in canter

Base of neck is it mobile?

How well did I ride?

Mixed bag felt my legs were better, canter not as good as yesterday but was determined to crack right canter and for him not to break and that we achieved.

What should I learn from this?

I can do stuff on my own, it may not be as good as when Clare is there but unless I do actually do it on my own it will never be as good as when Clare is there. It is all the small steps that will add up to the longer journey.

Solo Schooling

Rode was pretty good but need to remember to have a plan to execute once I have the connection I seek and not be aimless bunny!

Managed to finally clear field of pooh last night so that felt GOOD which kind of reveals my OCD side.

Trying to work out DTM timings from video not helped by going wrong in recorded test! Alos need to choose entrance music rather fancy the theme tune from Jaws actually might put that on CD for a laugh on Saturday anyway.

Two older gentlemen collecting muck this morning, clearly missing their hunting so thought they'd have a bit of sport with me, sadly for them am too old to rise to bait of why keep elderly retired horse and what he is costing you.

Solo Schooling

So rode today and goal was to recreate as near as possible to what I had yesterday.

For me to feel connected to Chorrie I need to have him literally in both reins as a start, our tendency is on the left rein to not connect and that is one of the things that prevents connection. If he isn't with me physically my brain goes into melt down and just jabbers away leaving no room for anything else.

To warm up walk pirouettes on a square both reins, then trot circles with quarters in/out.

When he comes into both reins breathe and allow.

Was really good to feel connected not as good as when Clare was there but almost. However the take home is that I did it.

Am still of opinion that getting this connection is the foundation from which all else will come.