Dressage was FUN TODAY!

 Dressage lesson at home with Jacel

Biomechanics zoom webinar call to get access to course went long so was a bit late. tacked up quick and tried to carry her other bit still attached to reins, whip and water bottle. Got on and she started getting super squirrely and spinning... dropped the water bottle. argh. Not sure if the whip was scaring her (but she doesn't mind it in the woods while i'm windshield wiping spider webs) or the bit jingling... or ?? life.

So got off, got Jacels' water and just walked to arena. Got on and walked around a bit and did the stretchy power free walk.. to working walk. Seemed less combative to start but was chompy. Told jacel what was going on and got started. She pretty quickly showed her what was happening... so she told me to leg yield her... like.. leg yield into the middle of the arena.. it got naughty at first... i tried really hard to not be bad and get mad but.. it didn't work. So.. we started again and it got better... quickly! Leg yield in and leg yield out... when she cantered, leg yield away from the canter bend, and she almost has to trot. When she starts jigging, turn on the forehand. when she gets too quick, counter bend or 10 meter circles. Basically... instead of resorting to my hands... just control her body. don't let her use her big ol' shoulders and neck base against me... unlock them and make her work harder. And it worked!!!! Very quickly it got nice... oh, and counter bending figure 8's... really helpful. Then when she's soft and balanced, go to true bend.. eventually... when she would start to brace I would just do a few steps of counter bend and leg yield and then back to leg yield true bend, and.. she would be soft again! YAY!

did some transitions and had to leg yield in and out of them to avoid the drama. but it worked. Went to canter and the canter was quite lovely. Did some 10 meter canter circles riding off the outside rein and inside leg and she was lovely. Right is harder. but... Really lovely ride!!! And she threw a few tantrums but she quickly realized that I wasn't getting sucked in and she was working harder than she needed to. 

oh, and don't let her pull me forward in the transitions... or when speed doesn't work. Keep my body tall and my elbows belong to me. Soft and elastic but don't let her pull me forward. 

And... she got nice and uphill and lifting in her back and stopped going behind the vertical!! She was almost seeking the connection too. It was the softest of feels.. and she bounced out of contact a bit, but... overall such a better feel than previous rides! YES!!!!!

talked about how "Here's your 2nd level horse"! And how maybe we do skip levels because... she's so bored easily. So.. signing up for novice at Ashland show next weekend. But also .... may start considering doing some "harder" dressage work and see if that helps her be less annoyed. I do think a lot of it is 'restraining' her head... but by being able to send her more forward and doing more lateral work, she won't be as restrained.