lesson on messy technicalities

Oooooh boy. We had another lesson with Dan last night (likely to be a weekly thing for as long as I can afford it...) and he ratcheted up the technicality. Remember when I said that bending four stride from last week was tough for us? Haha. Hahaha. (*sob*) 

We focused on two exercises through the ride. First was a line measured for two strides that he wanted in a quiet three and second was a line of raised canter poles on a circle set at bounce distances (and the bonus third was putting the two together). 

Per usual, the focus was on our canter. We were responsible for putting the horse into a collected (but not flat!!!) canter, and then the horse was responsible for maintaining through the exercises. 

I felt pretty good about things after warming up through each exercise separately. Isabel got the answers right for both, and I figured it'd be another ride where we just cruised through. Haha. I was wrong. I mean, Isabel still did really well (she's the best!) - but the challenge became maintaining that canter for every single stride - while still striving to allow the horse to carry the canter itself. Tricky balance. 

First combo was coming down the outside line tracking right in a quiet 3, then sorta leg yielding left a bit to the rail to set up the bend into the canter poles. 

Isabel and I did ok-ish the first time, but kinda didn't quite steer through the poles. Second time we came into the line with too much canter, did 2 instead of 3, then whiifffffffed the canter poles. And Dan (who is master of deadpan observation) simply pointed out "not... not quiet enough." Oops. We mostly got it done on the third try. 

Next we turned the exercise around to track left through the canter poles then move forward to the outside line. Dan wanted us really allowing the horse to move up here - getting 4 strides to the line, then doing the 2 strides now instead of 3. Our biggest struggle here was keeping the right canter for the poles - esp after we allowed them to open up for the line, getting that small collected canter again was hard. 

wat is you doing, right leg?!?!? stahhhhp!!!
seriously tho - i was squeezing so hard with my legs to keep her put together, but that effort is worthless if i can't keep the damn legs down and around isabel.... needs work!

And actually we ended up aiming for 5 bending strides from the poles to the line instead of the straight 4, for poor shorty Isabel haha. She nailed the line in 2 strides every time, and moved up and away from the poles really well too (forward is not a problem for this mare lol). But getting the canter for those poles was seriously challenging (which I guess was the point...).

I'm getting a lot better about using my entire leg from hip to heel to keep the horse packaged up... but it got pretty messy when my focus was on a million different things and I was maybe a bit frazzled. I REALLY need to keep those legs stretched DOWN otherwise they're useless... 

holy cavaletti! (do i look worried?? haha)

We finished the lesson with a quick run down the 2 stride line, which had continued to grow through the lesson to become 2'9" verticals with two placing poles inside the line.

I know placing poles are supposed to be helpful but they kinda melt my mind. Don't ask me why haha. But I said something to Dan about how he was making it so much harder and he seemed surprised. He pointed out that the poles had nothing to do with me, and shouldn't make any difference in my ride. I was responsible for getting Isabel into the line in the right canter (now forward instead of quiet), and she should do the rest. 

And of course he was right. Obviously. Isabel was foot perfect and we finished on that. 

It was a messy and challenging lesson but productive, I think. We're starting to get a much better feel for different gears in our canter. 

Also - I really like Dan's ultimate philosophy that we should be able to create the canter and then leave the horse there to figure it out. It jives pretty well with trainer P's lessons too, wherein she wants the horse making (correct) decisions and adjustments on its own. That level of education in the horse is obviously a valuable asset on the cross country field. 

video here

It's a lot of work up front tho - and my homework will absolutely be getting all my various body parts working without twisting up into a crooked useless mess on Isabel's back haha.