Monday Following the Launch

So after hearing about Catherine's unplanned dissociation from Tilly, I really got to thinking about the changes.  Tilly is green with them, and she is trying.  More often than not she changes from back to front - despite a good swift protest with her inside hind leg.

We have to always remember as we advance with training that the old demons always will return.  Anyone reading this has seen the picture that's at the top of this blog. Well, that demon came back.  LOL.  It is our responsibility as the ones capable of reasoning in the relationship, to ask the horse to push past where it gets hard in order to advance.

We started with a few exercises to improve the canter.  I put down 2 poles on a circle and had Catherine canter around the circle over the polls.  I wanted Tilly to focus on her HIND legs flexing and pushing over each poll.  Catherine got her quite a bit more collected and I could really see how Catherine was riding from her center to keep the mare obedient.

From there (Catherine will have to draw you a diagram, I am new at this LOL) on the same 20ish meter circle with the poles I had Catherine ride Tilly over the pole , after the pole she had to turn and cut the circle in half, bring Tilly back to the walk (SOFTLY - no jamming on the brakes) then a simple change to the other lead and back over the next pole.

Diagram for Laura :)

These two exercises allowed Catherine to feel the canter that she needed in order to get the change.  So, next, we started schooling the changes, and of course Tilly reverted back to a kick or no change at all.  Reminding Catherine of the canter she had, and then reminding her to keep riding Tilly through it until she got what she wanted, was just what it took to start knocking out clean changes.

After the first two I could tell Catherine wanted to stop on a good note, but I wanted her to know that she could get more, and also that Tilly had to keep going if she was asked.  We just got through the hard part, now it was time to PRACTICE correct flying changes.  And we had it:  2 more prompt, clean changes from Tilly, no TNT required.  I'd call Monday a pretty big success.  Good riding Catherine.