Lesson 4 Recap

Our fourth lesson with SW was on Sunday.  When we went to hook up the trailer, Cruise started getting amped up in his stall and I thought here we go.  He was fine and popped right in the trailer though after a quick de stressing graze.  When we got to SW’s the farm was a bit quieter and I was able to walk Cruise around the indoor with some back/down/click/treat at the open doors, a tack up and quiet lunge all over, and then a quick 5 minutes of ground work.  Everything was quite nice and SW complimented me on how I warm him up on the ground specifically to make him more rideable for the lesson.  It was really nice to feel a little affirmed.

I told SW I’d like to start on the “safe” 20m circle, get feedback on my biomechanics at the walk and trot and then spend the rest of the lesson working on enlarging the circle until we were going quietly all over the ring.  SW was good with this and off we went.  On the circle my corrections were:

*I’m using too much wiggle in my seat and not enough leg backed up by my stick to get a bigger walk.  Also, use my leg a little like a clapper, then go to stick taps.  Works like a dream when I remember.

*When he loses focus/gets distracted by outside stimuli sit in the “cowboy” seat, weighted to the inside, inside rein to inside knee, and do a small circle until he softens his jaw and gives.  There is no backwards with the hand and the fixed point is a pretty soft contact.  Cruise gave every time within 8-10 steps and then walked on quietly.  Within a few times and maybe 5 minutes of doing this once in a while he stopped inverting and looking out every door. 

*The mini version is just a little inside flexion.  Hmmmm…

*Look ahead 2 letters instead of 1.

*When Cruise gets too reaching into the contact/a bit on the forehand at the posting trot either sit a few steps and resume posting OR trot almost walk and posting trot on.  Both are effectively a rebalancing half-halt.

We went larger and larger and moved the 20m circle all around.  We did a couple of changes of direction through the circle at the trot that went better than I expected.  We did some posting trot to sitting trot to walk 2-3 steps to posting trot that was pretty good about 50% of the time.  When I thought about sucking his back up and bearing down for the up transition and slingshotting for the down transition things went much better.  Cruise was about toast at this point.  I was able to walk him out on the buckle all over the ring while SW and I chatted. I think it was the longest, hardest under saddle session he has ever done.  Full ring, calm, trying his best.  I could not ask for more.

We’re scheduled for a lesson in two weeks and I am excited to keep playing with all these new concepts.  Oh, and my excavator dropped by the other day and my ring construction should start in the next 2-3 weeks.  I cannot wait!