I long lined her yesterday since she's had 2 weeks off (thought I might see some TNT, if you know what I mean). Tilly was so funny! I pulled her out of the field around 10am on Monday and she looked so sleepy. We had a nice long groom and then I tack her up with all my long lining gear.(this picture is me long lining her last fall, 2011)
She was so sleepy that I decided to carry a short whip- something I don't always have to do. I didn't really have to use it, especially about 10 minutes into the session and Miss TNT - Woke UP! Yowza! She went from easy transitions to broncing and bolting. In between "Whooooaaa, whoooaaa, waaaaalk," i was laughing at her because I think she just realized she could have a little fun. She settled down and I trotted her over poles until she softened her withers and began swinging her shoulders and back. I can be happy with a slight bit of progress.
Today I wasn't sure what we would work on since I haven't ridden much lately either. I did go to my Vinyasa yoga class yesterday so I was feeling loose and receptive. (almost got a headstand on my own!) We tacked up and I could tell she was more alert today. I didn't put spurs on but I did carry my longest whip. We began with an easy walk and then warmed up with lateral work at the walk and then at the trot. After going over the poles from yesterday I could feel that I needed to reorient all my half halts (leg, seat, shoulders, etc).
Tilly wanted to take lurching strides at the poles instead of sitting down and waiting - this is one reason why i really enjoy using cavaletti and poles. They help with the timing for half halts. Instead of just going down the long side and losing trot quality because her body is becoming too long and disjointed... the poles give her (and me) a moment to lift the shoulder higher and ask for more activity behind without being disruptive to the rhythm. Tilly gets snarky when I over ride so poles help me be more tactful.
After a nice warmup with transitions, lateral work and some poles, we spent a good 20 minutes doing trot canter transitions on a 20 m circle. I'd trot over two poles on one 1/2 of the circle and then canter over one pole on the other 1/2 of the circle. Over and over and over - until she waited for me and didn't lunge forward to the poles. Her back came up and her stride began to swing beautifully. I worked so hard to not tip forward (a habit from lots of galloping while hunting) and to stay back and away from her withers by drawing my body taller over the poles - so we both accomplished our goals!
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I'm working really hard to allow Tilly to bend her neck more without losing the shoulder. Before I left for vacation, I had a lesson with Laura Klecker (trainer) and Nicole Barry (integrative physical therapist) to show Tilly how to do this. I need to "spot" her with my right knee at the moment so that I may release the right rein or rather allow Tilly to fill up the right rein and bend more to the left. I don't as much knee when bending the other way.
Just to check that Tilly remembered this (and let's be honest, make sure
my body remembered how to do it!)... I worked a serpentine within my 2o
m circle and pole exercise. I also rode her in shoulder in through
this exercise.
As I made the change of direction through the middle of the circle, I almost leg yielded into the new bend. I also continued the shoulder in over the actual pole.
This exercise was extremely helpful to reiterate the reclaimed half halt and improve the bend from head to tail by wrapping her around my inside leg.
I loved how subtly I was able to ride! By the end, Tilly was making big sweeping leg yield from the softest knee pressure. That is a totally new feeling for me. Looking forward to my lesson with Laura tomorrow!!
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