Catch Up

Can't keep me down thankfully :) At least when I have a bad day, it's a BAD day but then it's straight back up :)

So. Tuesday was a disaster from all perspectives and has been consigned to the bin.

Wed, A put T in for me rather than in the grassy field. I got down and was greeted by a FURIOUS horse, whinneying, stomping round stable and demanding he be let out. He then objected to walking past the grassy field and planted 3 times. So felt lots better!!

S's rubbing has calmed down and he doesn't appear to have rubbed any more. Sweet itch rug has come today so tomorrow he can have that on and hopefully be happier.

Fat club wasn't too much of a disaster. I just dislike the brainwashing part of it and the people who are obsessed with points etc. But. Last time it did work and I DO want to be thinner so I need to do it. On monthly pass so I don't have to go to every meeting but am going to to begin with so that I get into the swing of it.

They made a big deal out of a bloke there who has lost 7 stone, he looks great. Upset me a bit because I lost that much (have put just under 2 stone back on tho) and because I did it on my own, I didn't really get any recognition. Would have loved to have had that recognition. Although SU Slimmer of the Year was pretty good :thumbs:

Need to aim for that *vain*

Walked the dogs yesterday and this morning so that's some exercise, at least.

Tonight, farrier has told me I am a paranoid mother and nothing was the matter with his shoe. However, he took it off, ferreted around for a bruise, couldn't find one, put shoe back on and in my lesson he was spot on so I am 99% convinced the "not-quite-rightedness" was due to that smidgeon of a twist in his shoe with his shoe pressing into his frog.

Anyway, important thing is I know I know my horse and he's back to normal :)

Talking of lesson, he was a lazy shit tonight. Stuffed of grass methinks. He's got a shock! Back to being worked lots now his foot is sorted!!

Worked on the medium canter tonight. Always interesting in a 28mx15m school on a big moving 17h!! Next test is N35 and I need to do medium canter on a circle which was making me a bit "eeek" but instructor pointed out that it's actually EASIER to ride it on a circle because you are having to ride the circle anyway so get a better medium canter. Because I'll be "riding" the circle and because it's not straight line of 60m, he'll sit back and we'll get a better canter.

Not sure why but for some reason I've been too dense to apply the same principles of medium trot to the canter and we've just gone "vrooom" and he's flattened and I've had to haul (or felt like it) to recover the working canter.

Need to remember:

Get him infront of the leg
Sit up tall
Bum in saddle
Keep his neck soft, long and low (for him ... he has a short neck so we have to keep his neck soft in order to create the illusion of a longer neck)

Medium canter will actually feel slower as he will extend. He has a really good canter, very balanced and powerful so he will find medium easy as long as I set him up right.

Don't hold onto reins. Keep outside rein consistent. Bring inside rein away from neck. Don't neck rein him. Inside leg to outside hand. Get him bouncing. Ride the corners. Medium canter, just relax hands a bit and it's all there. Don't fling reins at him, he can't go anywhere and he'll suck back.

I need to sort my lower leg out still too. Need to find out why I get cramps if I have the stirrups on the ball of my feet and not if I have them on my toes because I really need the balls of my feet in the stirrups else it screws my leg position.

Got very confused when being told to "relax my knee". Really couldn't work that one out so stopped and asked her to rephrase it and I tend to grip with my knees which means my lower legs swing back and I tip forward so I need to bring my knee away from the saddle and take the weight through the front of my upper legs, then with stirrups on the ball of my feet, my lower leg will be stronger.

Easy to see but Christ knows how I'm going to work that one out. Lots of work me thinks.

She also wants me to teach T-Jay a new aid that she says is really useful. It's a tiny miniscule aid but apparently really helpful. She wants T-Jay to learn that my legs moving a fraction forwards means extend ie into medium and bringing my legs back means to collect the pace ie canter back up.

Had a little go but I'm struggling with that one. Legs forward means reins go and means I physically move my legs fowards which isn't really what she wants.

Need to brew on that one. I think that I may find that easier when I've sorted out my legs/stirrups issues.

On a very big plus note, I noticed tonight that without realising, I corrected my outside rein and that it's pretty much second nature now to keep that contact - WHOOOO. It's only taken me 7 years to get that one LOL.