What to do when the going gets tough? oh, right... Just keep going and doing.

Sometimes I have rides on Tilly where I don't think I accomplished anything but the truth is we communicated and we worked up a serious sweat.  So really, even though I didn't master third level test three today (we aren't even close, YET)... we found our grace together.

Studying yoga again helps me remember that training days like this are important too.  I've been training with Shelley at Just Breathe Studio here in Aiken and we practice Vinyasa.  I found this online:

"Vinyasa, a fluid form of yoga, tends to draw people who are more athletic and perhaps more goal-oriented or self-competitive—those who prefer a practice that feels more like a workout. This style of so-called flow yoga can also be very emotionally therapeutic."

In my opinion, dressage is like Vinyasa yoga. Luckily, Tilly is an emotional horse who likes to work so we can relate in our struggles.

Shelley says that at the root of our practice is our ability to focus on the breath.  We put ourselves into challenging poses in order to challenge the breath and focus the effort.  When Tilly feels like a leaping slinky (work with me), all I can do is focus my breath and continue in the exercise (asanas in yoga).  And boy do I... today it was almost all I could do.

Shoulder In Left to a 10 meter circle:

At the moment, Tilly is really struggling to have a true shoulder in at the canter going left.  As I mentioned the other day, her "train cars" get really jumbled when she tracks left.  She pops her poll, jaw, and hip to the inside and essentially jackknifes right shoulder.  It's is almost impossible to canter in shoulder-in this way and I'm having a hard time helping her but I will persevere!

As for my own personal struggle.  Standing splits.  Here it is folks:


 This $h!t hurts!!  I'll keep trying though.  I know that it hurts because i'm really weak in my hip flexors. 










(The hip flexors are made up of three different muscles. The Rectus Femoris, Psoas Major, and Illiacus. These muscles work together to help flex the hip, and to provide stability for the lower extremity.)

   My weakness causes me to lock up and inhibit Tilly's movement.  I'm sure that when she scoots forward and almost lurches out from underneath me, it is likely that my hip flexors didn't allow her anywhere else to go.

I'm really glad I did a 2 hour "Balance Workshop" with Shelley after my tough ride... As challenging as today was, I loved every minute.  I know I'm in the right place and I'm doing what is right for Team TNT.  I hope I feel the same after tomorrow!
 7:30 am lesson with Laura, 8:45 Pilates, 12:15 more Vinyasa!  Oh boy.