So the weekend before last my eventing trainer was taking a group of people XC schooling, and seeing as how we have only jumped like twice in 3 months I figured it was better to sit this one out. So I reached out to the dressage trainer/ breeder that I used to work for/ board at. She also runs a non-profit rescue, and she matched me with Uno!!
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| This was taken at her place approx 1000 years ago! |
In the years since we had seen each other, she has built a fantastic covered arena with great mirrors and fiber footing. I asked her to start coming monthly for her to kick my butt in shape. She is very classical and equitation based.
She immediately started picking away at my posture and bad habits. We started (and relooped again and again) straight and marching with an even rhythm and correct tempo. At first, the tempo was the hard thing, but the more we worked on me the bigger the straightness issue appeared. I am weirdly and inconsistently crocked on the right side of my body.
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| Crocked? Me?!?! Who would have thought? |
We worked on making my hands still - I used to be too rigid, but have drifted to too soft - he cannot soften to me if my hands are all over the place. It was pretty hit or miss as to when I was able to feel the horses mouth in the back of my arms and elbows - but Uno is VERY light in the bride so that makes it harder to feel when you have it right.
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| Is this right? Who knows? Not me atm. |
There were two connected corrections that I really struggled with 1. my hips. Apparently on Uno (I had hubby look on Dutch and it not nearly as bad) I walk my hips with the motion of his hind legs. I cannot feel this. At ALL. And 2. I sit too heavy in the saddle. This was a pretty instant fix, and as long as I am mindful, I can maintain the correction. The issue with the first thing is that we worked the whole time on riding off my core and what that should feel like and how the horse should respond. It was very difficult (read: impossible) to hold my belly and relax my legs without my hips moving. I tried a few different things with limited success and without a mirror at home who the fuck knows how this will look when we go back.
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| These are both wrong - hence llama Uno. |
It is really hard to get better at this when I have never heard it from another trainer before, and I really cannot feel what I am doing. I know this person is all about the fundamentals of correct biomechanics and dressage - both of which are things Uno and I have struggled with. I never had to build a better balance for Dutch because up through about 2nd level, he was already naturally there. Uno however, struggles with any kind of lift or hold. It is SO MUCH harder for him. If going back and learning a more biomechanically sound way to help him hold us up works, then I am all for it. On thoroughbreds even when you do not have 'sit' you usually have OK verticle balance. Uno has none of that, he really finds basic balance and steadiness SO HARD. It is why we work on it in such small chunks. He is so honest that I do not want to ever make him sour to work.
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| These are both right, hence Dressage Horse Uno TM |
HOWEVER! All of the walk, halt, walk, trot, walk, halt off my ab (I am fat, so I joke I only have one) really started to click and it has made a HUGE difference in our flat work at home. I have spent our walk warm ups focusing on my hands. Then in trot and canter working on straightness, my ab, and lightness. It has been feeling really good, and our Majical Event trainer even commented on how much better our warm up was.
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| Peep this awesomely balanced canter, on the bit, with my back straight. |
This is already quite long, so I will write about Friday's jump lesson tomorrow.
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| Sneak peak : Er Mer GERD a JOMP!! |
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