23rd September at Arrow

Really concentrating on trying to sort out my crookedness on a horse.

Pooh wallows from side to side and I join in and by doing so increase the collapse of my right side

If I concentrate more on the front to back movement and keep my left elbow "pinned" to my side almost pushing into my left and think right side forward 

Basically the human equivalent of shoulder fore

SFO suggested some body work on a physio ball so have spoken to a Pilates person who works with a lot of riders

Bling for Pooh Bear

An open letter to Sue Nevill Parker of Arrow Equestrian

Dearest Sue

I am writing this letter so if at some point in the future I go mad and need to be shot I'll at least have told you how I feel about you and you'll know the huge influence you have had on my equine life for the better.

Firstly I love you, that doesn't mean at times I wouldn't happily biff you with a shavings fork, but you have always been there for me even when I've been a brat and that I will forever cherish.

I love your honesty I'll be honest and admit I don't always like it and at times I've wanted the duvet in the peanut gallery to swallow me up, but I do appreciate it even when you're being honest with me. I'd much rather a relationship where we can both say what we want to say,

With you I can be me, you get to see the murky gloomy corners that I hide from most people, I also hope you get to see the great joy that being around horses creates within me. I rarely feel there is something I cannot say to you because you will think me a complete fruit cake and I can count on the fingers of one hand the people I can fully open up to.

Watching your truck come down the yard drive yesterday and the excitement I felt rammed home to me how  much you mean to me and how I've never told you.

I like the clarity of your teaching and how you strive to find a way for me to understand and not just keep saying the same things a bit louder. I like that I can ask questions without having to dance on a pin head.

My life is better for your being a part of it.

Thank you

Alexis

January at Arrow

Usual format, arrive Friday around 14:00 Blackberry and Pooh, supper with alcohol and SFO and putting world to rights; then 10:00 Blackberry and Pooh on Saturday, home via ponies collapse in a mentally exhausted heap on sofa.

So Friday Blackberry have lost droppable forearms well clearly not lost my forearms as drove to SFO but have lost the droppable aspect, right hand is somewhat grabby so worked on that.

then onto Pooh Bear really need to ensure my wrists are straight not broken need to somehow transfer the way I ride Blackberry to Pooh, do less?

Saturday Blackberry worked on position left  and right by adjusting the pelvis rather than shifting bulk body weight. So worked on how this might feel. For me it is achieved by lengthening inside leg (so right leg for right canter) which feels to me like straightening knee. SFO very pleased with this as rather a breakthrough in how I use my seat.

Leg sensors on and how to activate without coming off seat so some good work

Pooh really worked on point soften had a bit of a light bulb moment over giving hand forward if I keep a straight wrist I do it.

• Need to point on the rise
• Need to move more than I think to actually move
• Need to have ass out behind me when I sit (sit on potty!)

Interestingly enough when I get point soften going the energy changes and he bounces along and it is pretty much effortless.

Position left and right is just working :-D

Overnight at Arrow

So Friday went with J to meet SFO at Chase Distillery had a fab time tasting their products but sadly as a driver could do no more than let the liquid moisten my lips then put the glass down and lick lips. made up for it by practically buying the shop!

Planning to go back with taxi booked so can do a proper tasting session.

then drove the 30 minutes to Arrow whilst SFO came back via the Horse Boutique and Sue Adams so time for crumpets and tea; clearly J being a non driver and thus finishing up all the glasses had too much to drink as refused to take boots off in house as as predicted Ron came in, and of course being drunk she had to make sure Ron knew she had her boots on in the house by pointing it out and then wonders why he gets cross!

Saturday

So onto Blackberry worked on filling the right side with SFO putting her hand on my right side above my waist and my having to push her hand whilst staying on my seat, rope around waist to test core stability, worked on legs and letting go so legs can just hang.

I am now allowed to wear spurs another milestone :-)

Pooh well this was mostly about elbows and why do I think it all changes once I am on a real horse? On BB I keep a good pointy elbow and droppable forearm but put me on Pooh and it goes to pot.

Is it because he is crooked and somehow I am trying to compensate in my body? Biggest issue is if I concentrate on keeping my elbows I lose awareness of my crookedness.

So SFO worked on my regaining awareness of my crookedness with SFO pointing it out whilst we changed rein frequently which helped then worked on elbows whilst trying to stay straight, spurs really useful for keeping him off my right leg and we got some decent work :-)

Watched J and then SFO ride Crisp bareback interesting how he connects better through back when bareback he did some good forward stretching with SFO

Got back to stables at 19:00 with Ron expecting us in for supper at 19:30 oops! So quick shower then grabbed two bottles Champagne out of fridge, a lovely bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a toothsome red.

Supper was brilliant fun and the party finally broke up at 23:30 when SFO, J and myself did late night stables.  Pooh had managed to get out of his rug (!) J then managed to insult SFO by how she compared it to the wonderful wonderful Dovecot

Sunday

Quick session on Blackberry working on contact, then onto Pooh much better from start got some really good work so good that SFO decided he wouldn't be ridden afterwards as had been planned. Me I was well chuffed.

Cup of tea with SFO then left later than planned (oops) and stopped for a very late lunch at Trumpet Corner 

I am going to scream if I hear one more time about 'my small house'; last time it was about how much easier it must be having a small house, yesterday it was surprise at our being able to have a Christmas tree in our 'small house' FFS it isn't that small and I am getting totally fed up with the lack of tact.

Next time I will be CROSS!

Back to Arrow

So yesterday I made it back to Arrow, did think the IBS was going to stop play  but just mentally thought do your worst as having not been since October I was pretty determined to go WHATEVER!

Set off with loads of time to spare and ended up getting there 5 minutes before my lesson, no matter what time I seem to leave I get there 5 minutes before lesson. Yesterday I crawled from the A40 to the M5   behind gawd knows what as there was just a huge queue of us all doing 20 mph   but did see nice gunmetal grey Ferrari

So started off on Blackberry apparently I now have droppable  forearms so as SFO said whatever I am doing is working. Right side still in need of attention.

Onto Pooh Bear started off on buckle picked up contact and seems like I left the droppable forearms behind in the simulator room   SFO did at one point say you can ride better than this

So lengthen reins ignore Pooh and assume he will go around corners and just go back to being on Blackberry, point soften so that starts to improve things. I had a lightbulb  moment when I twigged the reason I was giving away my left elbow was Pooh was heavier left rein and I was giving rein OK not on a conscious level as issue is not enough right rein. So SFO asked how I would correct it which always makes  me  so I said bend in squash out, then got asked which way and I'm thinking crap crap crap as I'm not hugely convinced I actually know anything at a sufficient level to verbalise it so said bend in left as that is side he is holding, squash out right to get him to fill right rein and :hail: SFO agreed :hail:

Did shoulder in and counter shoulder in initially SFO couldn't see which way was which so suggested she look harder (!) did get Pooh much better aligned, will be a good exercise for the Chorrie . Also starting to feel when Pooh isn't off my left/right leg, just need to refresh more often and thus keep him aligned.

Overall it was just so nice to be back and whilst I didn't just carry on from where I left off on Pooh I did get him aligned.

Seven lessons in a day and a half!

So this is what we did   Friday evening was spent at The Jolly Frog for Ron's birthday

Friday PM

Blackberry

Turing left and right

Pooh

Good ride got some decent FDO, looked at moving sideways in canter and how to keep Pooh moving sideways and not change. Fab fab bits of trot, walk -> halt was a bit agricultural at times

Mouse (lunge)

Worked on sitting trot with Connie cushions under legs.

What was interesting was that Mouse before riding was quite tight on the right side of his back but was so much looser post riding, whilst I have always known this is possible I hadn't expected that my riding could cause this change especially given my weight

Saturday AM

Woke up early and could lie in bed and look out of the window at Pooh and Mouse grazing 

Blackberry

Worked on rising trot and going down into heels and rising from back of legs at one point had my foot in SFO's lap   

Rope round middle to test core muscles, I need to remember to look at the psoas release article

Pooh

Interesting that he was better today than yesterday we were much moree on the same page and doing things together rather than me doing things such as halt to Pooh, SFO was of opinion he came out better today because I put him away better last night, am still  that SFO could consider that my riding could improve a horse 

Got asked what I thought the schooling plan should be once we had done long rein/walk/ hlats and trot. I stated I'd now canter large and easy then see how he moved off leg in canter, then would go back to trot and sideways is trot having used canter as a warm up for lateral work in trot.

So got quizzed and failed to pass on the benefits of leg yield, SFO went off for a comfort break leaving me alone so I did some leg yield did think it was a bit quarters leading anyway SFO returned and was told my leg yield was nothing like a leg yield and that leg yield was often tuaght the way I was taught and was WRONG!  so parked Pooh in front of the white board and got an illustrated lesson on leg yield.

So onto leg yield on a circle, which is basically Erik's halt, angle, flow. So on ten metre circle halt/slow/woah move the quarters over and out then flow forwards. Found very hard to orchestrate all aids and not turn it into rein yield!

Leg yield really improved Pooh's hind leg engagement and we were off  

Break for lunch had bad news from a friend so lots of   good vibes and being sent virtually towards home for her. Felt very close to tears over it all as felt so helpless as there is nothing you can do to make it right just talk and let them know you are there but it doesn't feel like enough.

Saturday PM

Mouse (lunge)

More work on sitting trot with Connie cushions then looked at rising trot, need to rise through back of leg, however overall I am well chuffed with how much more stable my lower leg compared to how it used to be.

Pooh

Dear dear Mr Pooh started off like a slug on Prozac but soon became super speedy Poozles! So this was great but I really struggled to get this energy up and under me rather than Pooh using it for marching around the school at Mach 3. Lots of   with Mr Pooh at his new found energy!

Looked again briefly at leg yield and that was much better than yesterday  

Put Pooh out in field, packed up last stuff in house, paid up and drive home in sun via a nice piece of topside from Marston Meats

Amazeballs :-)

So in the second week of my leave I went down to SFO for a lesson and a chat about Chorrie.

So SFO is in agreement he needs to be off my leg and continuing to gently gently with no escalation is serving only to reinforce that my aids can be ignored. So need to have this chat with SB and establish if we are doing gently gently because I am blocking or ?

So onto Blackberry worked on left right (twas ever thus) and on sitting on my right seat bone and lifting my left and thinking of that diagonal

Onto Pooh and my hands were all over the place so carried a whip upright in each hand and moved  onto a whip in each hand which improved things no end.

Didn't look down too much so the hand bell didn't get too overworked! Produced the best canter work I've ever managed and even SFO thought it was good so was very very chuffed.

This time last year I wasn't even allowed off the lunge now I can produce minutes of work that is considered good also an getting straighter as corrections become less extreme.

As SFO said another WOW entry for your blog  :biggrin: :biggrin:

Erik Herbermann Clinic Day 2

Sue S 

Do not think in a negative way be more 'let's go' do not pay attention to what he is; think of what you want him to be.

Do not pigeon hole

Both reins have equal value

Ali

Know your purpose

Details it is all in the details

Brief and effective aids

If too deep can raise both hands then leave alone and go forwards

David

If horse is against bridle animate and think loudly of forward and down

When bringing horse up from forward and down do not let horse know that you have noticed imperfections; keep going all the way up

SFO (Pooh)

Half halt to energise Pooh, it energises Pooh because it frees Pooh up.

Align halt go

Ignore head and ride body

Do not chase after feels, getting the technicalities right will result in good feels

If you feel that you want to pull on inside rein use leg/stick and outside rein to brief halt.

Felicity

The last steps of an exercise are the most important ones

If you can't give without him curling up  then he isn't balanced.

Forwards and down it is the forwards that is most important

Take time to go to the buckle end just don't drop the reins

If deep then to raise poll drive halt light flow

SFO Tiswas

Energy halt turn

If you cannot move shoulders horse is not straight

Shoulders (horse) must feel mobile

Flying changes

Blackberry

Worked on improving my proprioception of right seat bone, pompom under right seat bone then remove pompom still MIA

Pooh (all captured on video)

SFO was trying new bit on Pooh, French link fulmer snaffle as opposed to eggbutt snaffle overall didn't think it felt any different but maybe it was the magic flying change bit of which more later :-D

So  usual start walk on long rein, then trot on a loose contact, similarly with canter. Canter need to remember to sit left and stretch right in canter.

Need to keep head up (SFO said to look at video to see impact of head up / head down on my seat / back) and keep right side stretched, plus elbows at sides. At times it feels like patting my head and rubbing my stomach to keep all these correctional balls up in the air and not drop one. However got canter on each ask except one where I didn't follow through the ask with intent.

Joy's correction on Chorister only works if I also sit left and stretch right on Pooh and probably on C too.

So time to put the Poozle Woozle on the aids need to get him sharper on this well actually I need to be sharper and more consistently demanding. Need to also make sure elbows are in place when asking. When riding on the aids my left hand goes to hell in a handcart, also need to make sure there is no backwards ask with my hands.

Holding whip in errant left hand does help as does maintaining my elbows.

So many trot/halt transitions later and I am getting a better sharper reaction so onto canter trying to sit left and stretch right so start on right rein with some goods from SFO then she suggests I come across diagonal and ask for a flying change. This is the point I should have clarified the aids for FC but no that would be sensible and involve inhibiting me I'd just rather gung ho into it and see what happens so around corner onto diagonal straighten Pooh and ask late behind bum bum bum, so onto left rein and nail that easily.

When asking from right to left, need to make sure I keep Pooh absolutely straight and not block with left hand or pull head to left and emphasise right seat bone to allow room for left hind to step under and through.

Can't believe that in just under a year that SFO would allow me to attempt a flying change that she'd consider I can ride well enough to attempt this on Pooh who SFO admits isn't the easiest of horses.

Wow just wow

Arrow Road Trip

So off to Arrow in Barry the shiny new car :@) set off 30 minutes earlier than usual and got there as always ten minutes before lesson start. Seems to be some time warp that means no matter what time I leave yard I end up at Arrow ten minutes before lesson. So journey can take anything from 1h50 to 2 h 40m!

Barry did 77mpg on the way up so that was :@)

Gave Pooh his carrots and went in search of Blackberry.

Blackberry


Chatted to SFO about Friday's breakthrough that is when C was halting nicely then yawing on bit having tried less rein to no effect rather than previously I'd have kept on with less rein. I went outside 'the box' for me at least and tried the "Woah no changed my mind now go" with the woah being longer.

SFO wants someone to see if I collapse right on C as I do on Pooh, so need to find the willing victim!

Worked on seat bone stability rope around waist with SFO pulling me off my seat with my legs over front of saddle.

Worked on contact really need to stretch right side and have 'oranges under armpits' to get a good following contact.

Then worked with leg sensors on going up to 3 and down to 2, apparently this isn't easy (No sh!t Sherlock) but it did emphasise when under pressure I attempt to follow by opening my fingers rather than following with my arms *doh*

Pooh


So Ron and Richard getting the haylage stacked outside at the A end of the school, back in August 2011 that'd have been enough for me to have a meltdown, today whilst not delighted at this possible spooking opportunity knew I needed to get on with it and deal with 'it' IF 'it' happened. So of course the lovely Poozles never even thought of spooking at the noise outside but did spook at the bottle of fly spray on the 4th time of going past it which made me laugh; and that there is progress clear and measurable.

So usual start on buckle , then got told to pick up contact, do some trot work need to work on point/soften think I need to ask SFO to go over this again as my grasp on it is tenuous.

Then onto lateral work so change rein across long diagonal, then change bend then move quarters then leg yield parallel to wall with front legs on the long diagonal.

Rinse and repeat in trot.

Need to remember good position will get you 96% of way there, so adopt good position and sit and flow, kick kick and heaving makes it go to hell in a handcart.

When I remember to sit well and do less leg yield to left good and effortless, to right is a challenge to both Pooh and my crookedness.

Finished off with trot large need  to keep left elbow, Pooh tends to lean  tend to allow him the rein and thus arm straightens and I prop him up and it is too fixed. Keep elbow activate the horse and streeeetch right side.

Also did trot FDO need to be forward myself 'over knees' with a broad front line and stretch Pooh out to the rein.

SFO pleased with how I rode, me I was brain fried but happy.

Weekend at Arrow with Joy

So off to Arrow the lovely bit is that Joy was going to be there for supper on Saturday night, was expecting SFO to be a bit frazzled as Arrow week had ended on the Friday and that is always a bust week for SFO.

Well SFO was frazzled by a pupil and a jumping lesson and the fact the pupil holding onto the front end was all down to the bridle being the wrong colour. I guess you had to be there ...

Notes are sparse as didn't take any for Sunday and am late (31st July *doh* )writing up.

Blackberry


Move body as a chunk for position L / R

R seatbone needs to be down SFO suspects feel is out (as felt under my seat and seatbones feel even - that is some dedication as a teacher !) so put Connie cushion under seatbone and slowly removed it to improve body perception.

Loosened up hip flexors *ouch* by raising knees on backwards swing of canter stride

Pooh

Can you do fire drill when on long rein and when SFO shouts 'fire' do fire drill do not look at her and say 'me?' :-D

Pick up connection without losing forward reach/stretch

Need deep shoulders, broad frontline and ELBOWS


Watch rein length, my chicken wings :-) need longer reins to have bent elbow, stretch right side and stretch again.

Use hands as a pair unless bending, think stick with single string in middle being held by SFO and two strings one at each end being held by me, think how you need to move both strings.

Use both reins unless bending.

If it goes tits up, first rescue is think best position you can do, elbows deep, shoulders down stay on your seat.

Longer reins but more connected elbows.

point soften

Supper


Had lovely G&T sat on terrace outside little house with sun going down absolute bliss,

Good times


Pooh Sunday


Can't remember huge amounts but the thing I do remember is on Sunday SFO took her hat and boots to the school with me thinking ???

Anyway because of Erik in August and SFO riding Pooh with Erik she had planned to ride Pooh after my lesson but because I'd done such a good job she didn't need to :@)

Progress

Lesson one Blackberry

Started off working on weighting left and right seat bones with pom poms and also added turning shoulders.

Then onto position left and right and  lightening left seat bone when in position left and similarly with position right.

SFO showed me how to have long arms but retain an 'elbow' also how shoulders stay deep and elbows and shoulders keep moving.

*THUD* SFO pleased with my improved rein contact, am barely collapsing right, shoulders were down was wondering when I'd wake up and reality (collapsed right and crap contact) would be restored? 

Lesson one Pooh

Work on right hand to Pooh's right bum/left shoulder, swap hands and then repeat on other rein.

Did rising trot and emphasizing left then right side by in sitting phase sitting more left and right; just doing this makes me more symmetrical.

Quasimodo is not the only correction, it is mostly for the left rein, on the right rein need to stretch right pillar, may also need when turning on right rein to have right side 'forward'

If it isn't working don't do more of what isn't working do something different, need to learn to experiment

Horse will follow bulk body weight, so can do leg yield just by use of body weight. Did loops in canter just using weight aids, was actually bloody impressed I could do this and if you think this is easy try it ;~} if you can't do a loop in canter on weight aids alone what does that reveal? Basically that you don't need the reins to stay in counter canter.

SFO did point out that six months ago this would have been beyond me and how I'd progressed and how she liked to keep pushing her pupils. Whilst I do have the odd whinge as it can be frustrating that as soon as you've cracked 'C' SFO is looking to crack 'D'; I wouldn't be driving for just over two hours if SFO wasn't constantly looking to progress me.

Need to stop being afraid of the rein, sometimes you just need to use the rein.

Supper was a hoot, drank a lovely NZ Sauvignon blanc and put the world to rights, haven't drunk wine since my last Arrow weekend due to MFP; ate my body weight in SFO home made chocolate mousse.

Lesson two Blackberry

SFO and I were talking about how it was interesting that I used to be collapsed left (really collapsed left and sat ass off saddle to right)  and now I tend to collapse right but nothing like as bad as my left used to be. Am hoping it is a pendulum and that the arc of swing lessens with each swing and this time next year I'll be basically straight.

Need to have open armpits think of being able to have space for an orange - preferably a chocolate orange! Also body moves through arms.

Did bicycling with legs which helped leg muscles 'let go'

Also did transitions looking back I think if I could nail 3 -> 2 it would help a lot with having Pooh on the aids.

Lesson two Pooh

Started off on long rein with no stirrups, six months ago that wouldn't have happened, and bicycling with legs as had been doing on Blackberry.

More work on right hand to Pooh's right bum/left shoulder, swap hands and then repeat on other rein.

Lots of serpentines/loops in trot need to remember, when turning left Quasimodo; when turning right then stretch right side.

SFO did say about how she  now has to think which side is my collapsed side as I have straightened up a lot :-)

Was then another *THUD* moment when SFO asked how would I put a horse on the aids,  I could  tell her, show her or ask her. So explained how I do it with Chorrie which I suspected had holes in it. 

So basically I determine rein length and then ask C to work within that rein length with an active leg and it happens well that is all I do at a conscious level.

So basically on Pooh in halt determine rein length and keep hand passive, active leg you should feel him step under as he goes to move off soft allowing hand can hold/resist if needed with shoulders/upper arm.

Fail on having soft allowing hand rather than throwing contact at him,  too conscious of not pulling to be effective. :-( but with perseverance and lots and lots of SFO encouragement to the point of being on the floor and walking alongside us, I got it and then wow.

Just wow

A weekend at Arrow with Pip

So off on a road trip with Pip to Arrow for an overnight stay.

Day did not start well woke up with feeling of foreboding and no idea why then felt sick, did twig foreboding might be because last time I stayed overnight Millie became unwell which ended up with our losing her RIP Millie cat you are much loved and missed.

Arrived to find Joy still there :-) and in school with SFO; so unpacked made pot of tea and just enjoyed being in the lovely and warm 'little house'

Pip was first up on Blackberry then it was my turn; worked on rising trot 'ass to wall' bi fold shower door. Did some off Blackberry exercises against door frame and ass to wall!

It is all in the hip joints!

Then I rode Pooh was pleased that

1/ I can finally maintain canter and not lose my position or focus and thus maintain the canter

2/ I will now canter with reins in one hand whilst trying to feel my hip joints move.

Got a few moments of amazing trot down the long side towards SFO

Some good canter where I 'bear down' sort of breathe in and down ?

Had supper with SFO started off with Champagne to toast SFO's b'day on Wednesday, she liked her socks which are pretty pink! SFO did say she liked pink. After supper Pip helped SFO do final check and then we watched a bit of video and from there to bed.

Sunday

Woke up too early then slept fitfully, odd as normally am like log so got up showered and demolished several pots of tea,

Back to Blackberry did work on seat bones with Connie cushions which killed my thighs.

Got some quality canter on Pooh so well chuffed with that.

Noticed that I am now getting less direction from SFO, no longer getting told what to do so need to start having a plan and not just wing it (!) However it is progress that I am being allowed to work in this way.

Was due to leave at 13:00 but was after 15:00 so Tony <aka my Sainted Husband > went to do afternoon stables as C would be in too long without hay otherwise.

Got home around 18:30 ate sat like Zombie on sofa went to bed early and slept for TEN hours.

I find it mentally exhausting.

Didn't manage to get to talk to SFO about schoolmaster am seeing on Weds but did get to talk about Portugal.

Slow down!

were two words I never thought I'd hear from SFO!

Had an interesting talk about drains/radiators or vampire/cheerleaders whatever ever you like to call those people in your life.

How drains/vampires can just sit in an Erik clinic and suck the energy.

Blackberry


Need to anchor my right seat bone more, so to do so right arm up and back (think rotator cuff moving up and back), point right boob forward.

Pooh Bear


Need a right side
Need to not look out on right rein going down open long side as Pooh will look out too, did try closing my eyes instead and he spooked :-) sort of like 'no that isn't what we do, back to default please'
Noticeable when anchoring right seat bone, he wants me off it and does the whole swing 1/4s 'thing'
When SFO says elbows need to think rotator cuff up and back, as otherwise shorten reins (!)
if LY not working then sit more not more rein
On left rein if I bend through ribs Pooh bends, probably at mo need to go everywhere in slight shoulder fore

Much more productive lesson than last one too distracted by eye candy that turned up!

SFO is a huge radiator/cheer leader for me :-)

Perfect

Is what I got told today :-) I think that was referring to a brief moment of one aspect of my equitation and not the whole lesson :-)

Right side is still an issue, on Blackberry using the ropes I can easily stay down my left side with or without a stirrup, right side not so much. Can improve it if I list my right toe WTF?

Onto Pooh did usual buckle work and then Sue wanted him picked up, am slightly *gulp* at how many layers SFO has to her equitation. So not only do I need to

look ahead

stretch my right side

sit straight

follow the contact

steer

maintain forward activity

have a front line

I also need to think about the horse! SFO asked if Pooh was moving evenly from behind (not as in lame) clearly I am learning something because rather than just saying ' no idea' I tried to think about it.

My right hip was being moved further forward than my left hip, so I could either retard my right hip or move the left more. This is something SFO learnt from Barbara Leach synchronising your movement to that of the horse.

Then on trot and canter when will I remember to stretch my right side? *bangs head*

Then lunge and work on contact using grab strap need to have feel of hands forward whilst body can do 'stuff' behind hands without hands becoming backward.

So hook little fingers under grab strap, need to keep grab strap taut in front and between hands.

Worked on point / soft which needs to come much more from my shoulders, well maybe it doesn't but if that is where I think it is coming from SFO says good :-)

Then onto canter, need to have more body in front of elbows and for now need to keep elbows at sides.

Then back free to get a FDO trot *fcuk* that was difficult, really difficult under the forensic gaze :-)

mentally shattered

Back to Arrow

So last time I was at Arrow was middle of January and Millie was still alive but it was that weekend she went downhill and we then lost her :-(

So two months since I last rode and TEN months since I last rode Chorrie :-(

Blackberry

Started off on Blackberry and had lost my rise so worked on that, right pillar also missing - need to feel sat on right as almost a diagonal feel.

Revisited canter aids.

My right neck is a constant low level ache at the moment am seeing physio on 22nd and then SFO again on 31st will be interesting to see if pillar follows neck as my default is to tip head right (subconscious effort to relieve pain?)

Pooh

Started off on the buckle, then up into trot really struggled to have a right pillar.

Didn't get any comments about clambering up the reins but did get told to shorten reins so have I finally resolved the issue of trying to ride neck too short?

Had some issues in walk with Pooh going 1/4s in as we passed SFO, on one occasion had to really ask to get him to move 1/4s back.

Had some good moments in trot and in canter.

Overall chuffed as not ridden for two months and didn't have a confidence nightgown :-)

Torture by PomPoms

So off to Arrow for an overnight stay.

SATURDAY

Blackberry

Reviewed position left/right and got it wrong (!) more work on rising canter, SFO put Blackberry up to 3 (gallop) and I had to stand in my stirrups and let Blackberry gallop underneath me.

This seemed to improve my rising canter no end!

Pooh

Worked on rising trot on lunge (point soft) then off lunge, SFO wanted longer reins this put me out of my comfort zone. Will do work on the buckle or FDO but not longer reins (WTF?)

Anyway persisted with it and achieved some nice moments.

SUPPER

Had lovely supper with SFO, some interesting points most especially about learning. O
In a nutshell one of SFO's pupils had said to her if you want me to do E then which of A. B. C or D do I drop because I can only do four.

I guess this is why I can do point/soft and say sit right but not stretch right too. Not enough brain space.

Lovely single accommodation, great shower, warm, kitchen and comfy bed. I fell asleep to the sound of an owl @wub:

SUNDAY

Because of Millie cat being ill elected to only have the one lesson of teaching, so had ten minutes on Blackberry and forty minutes on Pooh.

Blackberry / Pooh

So started out on Blackberry rising canter with pompoms and I nailed it still can't quite believe that.

Onto Pooh on the lunge with pompoms and it was so much easier than last time.

Off the lunge and with imaginary pompoms still pretty good but failed to rise to trot whilst hands descend, whatever which way I tried my hands rose as I rise to the trot.

Had the best ever canter but failed to sit enough right and resorted to kicking. :-( Need to sit right more, if he isn't going forwards it will be because I'm not sat where I need to be.

Very pleased at progress made wrt riding with a longer rein, whilst I still when I lost the contact went to shorten the rein, on Sunday I managed to stop myself doing it and send him forwards to take up the rein.

Sunday was probably my best work on Pooh to date and yes I did apologise to him for my mistake.

Rising canter

Blackberry

Usual start legs over front, back looking flatter, able to put legs down and stay on seat, so all good progress.

Some contact awareness from 2 -> 1 did pretty well and rein contact noticeably improved.

Onto rising canter WTF? could not feel the rhythm, could barely rise well enough to earn a 'good' found it seriously difficult.

Pooh

Started with on the buckle, which looks easy but to actually do well is bloody challenging! That said three lessons ago I was just pleased to be on the buckle and not worrying. So again progress.

On lunge to look at rising trot, found it easier on Pooh than Blackberry, back staying in one piece but elbows need more work. Need to think point on the rise, sit back on the potty (!) and soften hands.

Also need to stretch right side especially on left rein and stay down right leg. I adore Pooh but because we have similar contracted sides he is a challenge for me to ride well as he needs my right side to be stretched and for me to be down my right leg and I find that a challenge. One that I must rise to but a challenge.

The trot felt today as if it had more energy and he was certainly flowing around the school much better. SFO did think I had improved my rising trot.

So onto canter, I now either get a good strike off with some jump into canter or no canter at all. Canter today I was more able to maintain without collapsing body. Pooh will go down a gear if he feels me unbalance so the challenge is to stay balanced above him so he can stay balanced underneath me.

General Musings

Herbermann said of a pupil I cannot change her hands until I can change her attitude. Her hands are a result of her being nervous, so don't focus on the hands.

Sarcastic Small Fierce One

Blackberry started off looking at crookedness I thought I looked quite straight SFO thought otherwise *tsk* had discussion on how crookedness is your normal view in the mirror it therefore becomes hard to see that what is normal in your world view is actually crooked.

Then did legs over front and take one down taking right leg down I pitch left, taking left leg down I stay straight. So SFO suggested try leaning right as take leg down (non habitual movement I assume) that improved things also looked at can I make correction whilst not looking at TV screen? I can but have to feel head is very tilted left for it to be straight.

Pooh

My plan had been for this lesson to be one where I 'own' stretch right side and do not look down, following on from Tyranny of the Trainer :-

5/ Own your faults. My two biggest (not sole!) faults are collapsed right side and looking down. It is *not* up to SFO to keep telling me this. I know this, I need to do something about it.

SFO asked me if the diamanté was falling off my gloves, I looked down and replied 'no I don't think so' to which SFO told me to stop looking down :-D have renamed her SSFO Sarcastic Small Fierce One

Told SSFO about what my intention had been and her view is 'it depends' I wasn't aware I was looking down so until I do get some awareness it is her job to remind me.

Got asked why I chose to move the hind quarters over and not the shoulders as both would achieve the same, explained he had bought his quarters in thus to get him back on my imaginary line I had to move his 1/4s back moving his shoulders would have taken us off our line. Got a gold star for that :@)

Did some walk -> trot transitions paying attention to getting what I intend. Certainly improved our transitions.

Elbows were missing in action today :-(

Got a lovely trot after a canter and spent too long thinking ooh this is nice and didn't think enough about maintaining trot/rein length so reins too long so rather than try and recover asked for walk and gave the rein. My intent was good which was to be clear but could have tried to get reins back and enjoy the trot.

Next transition he went from canter -> trot -> walk of his own accord. Pooh is a quick learner :-) So knew the next transition I had to insist on trot regardless or I'd lose my gold star. So insisted we maintain trot.

I need to have a better balance between the technical stuff and intent. I am so busy running my corrections check list I forget the horse. Luckily with Pooh if you become absent he just slows down.

Last canter I paid more attention to intent and got a better result.