"Woohoo" warm up

I really enjoy the creativity that Tilly requires.  Every time I ride her I have to assess her state of mind and body (as well as my own) while deciding how we are going to warm up.

Several months ago I started with a walking warmup, doing all my lateral work (mostly leg yield and shoulder in/haunches in and renvers) first at the walk and then the trot before lastly cantering.  At that time Tilly was still bucking during the canter warm up and this really helped unlock her hips and back.  Since she was able to feel a release long before cantering, we were able to avoid continuous monster bucks.

I still do this to some extent but after my lesson with Laura on Monday, I've added half pass to the warmup.  This was a great addition as I'm really feeling the swing in our half pass now.  I have a tendency to lock my hips but I can slow down and focus on those blockages at the walk, thereby releasing and allowing Tilly to flow sideways.

By Wednesday, I knew Tilly needed to be entertained a bit since I'd been working really hard on those lateral releases.  My girl loves to gallop so I let her "open up" first at the trot and then in the trot/canter transitions and then at the canter.  I was delighted to feel her come even more through her back as opposed to flattening out in the forward movements.  She stayed perfectly responsive and between my leg and seat, coming right back to collection when I asked.  It was an exhilarating feeling!!!

So I let her go a little bit bigger :D  Tilly absolutely LAUNCHED into her extended canter and as long as she stayed very soft in the bridle and through her topline, I let her keep going.  We did a couple laps around the big jumping ring at Bridlewood... weaving between the jumps... incorporating a bit of bending back and forth to keep her on my leg.  I love feeling her so  joyous in her work.  A little "wooohooo" headshake from Tilly and a huge (i didn't ask) flying change where her signal to come back to collection (and maybe down to earth), which she did right from my seat.  I wish I could adequately convey the freedom and connectedness I felt during that exercise.

I finished the workouts on Wed, and Thurs with Canter/ Walk transitions and by today (Friday) we performed stellar simple changes.  I also found that with our half pass warmup and the extended work together, I had my biggest and easiest half pass yet.  What a fun week of training!