April 8 - 9 Let's Bend

Marti Szczur

April 8, Friday

 

Did warm-up online and Toby was quick to achieve elements 1-5 (Connection, Relaxation, Responsiveness, Confidence, and Impulsion.)

 

However, when I mounted, he had difficultly with parking. No other horses were out in the field, so it took a little while for him to relax enough to stand still with no other horses around. He did achieve it, but after consulting with Linda, a better strategy may have been to start closer to the stable with other horses around and then, as that worked, move farther and farther away.  

 

Linda’s lesson was focused on Bending. We worked on isolation exercises …   

o  1st … only bending head and neck (keeping bit straight and not at an angle or tilted) left to 11 and 10 o’clock (12 noon is head/neck straight ahead) and right to 1 and 2 o’clock. First at stand still, and then at walk and trot. (If at canter, only go to 11 or 1 o’clock.) Be on soft contact and allow horse to do this slowly and quietly. Use no leg! Do it along the rail circle.

o  2nd exercise: Do 10-11-12-1-2 o’clocks on large circle. Inside hand on thigh and lift outside hand to get soft bend with bit staying straight.

o  3rd exercise: Builds on  #1 and #2. Pinkie Turns -  on contact and rest pinkie fingers on saddle pommel which relaxes arms and elbows. Make soft turns with pinkie, ask and outside elbow/arm yield forward. To add more turn, use shoulders to aid turn.

Reminders

o  Feet position – think toes forward and heel even, as if standing

o  Don’t use legs except to support/block horses sides.

o  Use ski position to turn (point ski in direction turning), but don’t push with leg/feet

o  Use shoulders for turning with elbows loose by side.

o  Don’t lean forward when asking for upward transition. Ask forward by feel of pushing saddle forward from seat. Subtle feel.

o  Keep eyes and head in alignment with shoulders.

o  Have a plan as to where you are headed.

o  Rub your tummy while patting top of your head. J

 

It is not as if I don’t know how to ride, but we are now getting to the nuances of position that will enable horse to move more balanced and fluid and be more comfortable with the subtle aids.

 

Sorry, no pictures today.

 

April 9 2022, Saturday

Started the day “resetting my body!” Ha, don’t I wish. However, I am trying out an interesting technology, that some folks have found beneficial. I am not even going to try to explain it. Everything you might want to know is at their website …  http://neuroreset.ca. However, it involves wearing little clips (Neuro Connect™ devices), which carry a subtle energy pattern that resonates with the sensory nerve receptors. When neuro-pathways are optimized, joints and muscles function.” Looking to help with knee pain/ strength when riding.  I’ll keep you posted.

 

Big learning day when riding today.

Turns out Toby is crooked in this body … at least when I was riding him today. At a stand still and square (front legs aligned to one another and back legs aligned), his middle body is right of center. So when riding, I adapt by sitting more to the left of center. In other words, he is pushing me (not on purpose, just as a result of body mechanics) to the left. This results in having difficulty when asking him for bend to right. To help with this, Linda had me put more weight in my right stirrup. Also, to even my stirrups I had to shortened my left stirrup by 2 holes. With more weight in my right foot, when he bends right, my leg is there to block him, so he’ll begin to curve around the right leg, versus push against it.  At least that is the goal. Also, explains why it is more difficult for my right foot to face forward (It wants to turn outward.) Very interesting and will take some practice and realigning for us both. 

Also, to get a better trot, I need to post with just a quick touch on saddle and not a sit in saddle. Think tacks on the saddle. :-)

I am more upright in my body position today … remembering to look to a destination, not use legs to go, avoid putting upper body forward, and tap shoulder if he doesn’t understand. Use the upper inside leg for support and drape the lower leg keeping toes forward and heels down or level. And, keep my head positioned such that I am looking between Toby’s ears when turning. 

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