Lesson day! I opted to ride Funny in the Peter Horrobin today so that I could compare apples to apples after last weeks lesson in my Ryder. So I did. I did warn Jacel that I felt a little sloppy in it but I figured we'd try it out.
We chatted a bit and I was walking around and then we went to work. Pretty quickly Jacel noted that she agreed that Funny seemed much happier in it. We basically did the same lesson from the week before. Counter shoulder in as we spiraled in, then true bend on that smaller circle, then haunches out as we leg yield out. And it went better this go round. Then we did trot lengthens and she said that I got an actual real lengthen this week. It still feels minimal to me, but also she is probably closer to a lengthen in her normal trot to start, so... ;) Then we did some canter work and played with the lengthen to "collected canter" again. Ha ha. Not so much a collection as just... not a bigger canter. And that's hard. She does collect off my seat mostly but then she breaks to the trot. Which, is understandable as that's what I had been asking and she's trying to figure out the aids. But I did kick her back up into the canter to try to explain the difference. So maybe I need more leg as I'm "collecting" her with my core, but then that feels sort of confusing too. But... we'll figure it out eventually. Baby steps. I am definitely struggling in this saddle too, although Jacel told me basically "Life is hard, get a helmet" ha ha... But we joked that if this saddle is best for Funny, I can make it work. So then we did some exercises that Jane Sleeper made Jacel do back in the day. Apparently Jane was a meanie! And I agree.. those exercises HURT! Basically I had to bring my thighs up and off the saddle laterally. Oh my!! The pain! My hip flexors are so darn tight!!! But it did help my leg and seat position and helped me stop gripping with my thighs and knees and use my leg more effectively. So... gonna have to keep doing that. Hopefully I'll get back to where I can ride in this saddle. I'm not entirely sure if it's the saddle or... maybe the fit on Funny because I don't feel like it's that tricky to sit in it when it's on Dan. Or.. maybe Funny is just harder to ride anyways?? I guess I'll keep playing with it and see.
I do wonder if she isn't feeling sore somewhere too because I could NOT sit on her right hind today... she kept tossing me off it. And then when we were cantering on the left lead down the long side, she swapped to the right lead. Granted I was allowing the lengthen.. not asking... just allowing. But still. No bucks or squeals though. So... I don't know! Jacel thinks it's more just weakness in the right hind. And she was leaning hard today on the left lead canter too, so maybe that's all it is??
I hacked her to the lake for a quick cool off ride, but she just took a small sip and then headed back.
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