A series of things went haywire so I missed a few lessons. I was out of town for a week. Then Mercury was acting lame, so one lesson Bob lunged him, then floated his teeth and adjusted him a little. The next week I was all anxious about stuff going on at work and I just talked to Bob the whole time.
But this week - Eureka! Mercury stayed kind of lame, so I was riding him easy, and when the chiropractor came out, it turns out he had his normal ribs out, but his shoulder was doing something a little funky. (His hips were finally good, and we suspect the shoulder went out because of the risers and the change in his leg posture.) I gave him two days off (one day on purpose, one day because of work), then when I rode him Saturday he felt totally normal again. In fact, better than normal. He almost floats and seems more energetic after a visit with the chiropractor.
Today's lesson was a dressage lesson, and I was complaining about how he drags his feet, so Bob got a lunge whip and had me ride him in a circle around him, and then he smacked the whip. Wow! Mercury can really move! He moved so fast I could hardly ride him. (I had to post on my toes.) And not just fast, but big reaching steps. It was really cool. And then when I got off the circle and rode him around the arena, we lost a little bit, but it still felt really big and moving.
Then we cantered, and Bob focused on the air between my butt and the saddle. He said it is coming from my hands. I have hard hands and I lock them in place, which means I lock my shoulders, which means the whole top half of me tilts forward, which means my butt comes out of the saddle. I have to think the same thing that I do for the sitting trot, about having my belly ride out in front of me, which feels and looks weird, but feels good in my seat.
I am also opening my knees with the constant squeezing trying to make him go forward, so I am doing now Bob's routine - one kick, a yell, and a smack with the whip. And more notice that I'm about to ask him for something.
Then at the end, because Mercury was huffing and puffing, we worked on a nice calm walk on the bit. Mercury gets nervous when I pick up the contact, so we walked and walked and walked and walked until he relaxed and didn't do a little jig. Bob said to try to do one lap without the jig, then two laps, etc.
The big things to work on this week are: hands soft but still (lots and lots of half halts); NO leaning on my hands by Mercury (Bob took the reins and showed me what leaning is. I thought leaning was heavy pulling my arms out of the sockets, but leaning is also much lighter than that. My shoulders have been getting sore in the front, and that's why.); nice quiet walk with contact - no matter how long it takes and doing it in between all other gaits. Bob said I need to be patient and teach him this because it's about trust and no one else is going to teach him. Finally, impulsion! He said that every ride should be the same as today's big steps, and also in the canter.
Next week we're jumping. I think then it's two more weeks then the show. I'm kind of nervous. Bob's been giving me motivational talks. He says I'll be a much better rider once I stop thinking and controlling and analyzing and just feel. I asked why I can't feel yet and he said it's because I'm too controlling, which is extremely insightful.
At the end Bob said good job, which is rare praise.
Charlie with the long sought after cooler
Spring NWEC 2013 Novice
