Super Star!!

 Okay FuFu! Way to show up and show out! We've had so many awesome rides lately! She was so good today. I'm glad we didn't cancel our lesson because of the heat. Because, honestly, today wasn't that bad. Yes, it was hot. And yes, it was humid. But not like yesterday. Yesterday was brutal. Today was bearable. Despite the sweat running down my butt crack at 9 am this morning as Funny and I were just walking around warming up. ;) 

Liz said that my saddle was a hair too far forward before we even got started. Ugh. I had it a hair too far back so I fixed it. But, now I guess I overcompensated. So... I hopped off and pulled it back a hair. And then Funny was like "LIZ... I NEED YOU!". So Liz touched her and found a tight left shoulder/chest and a stuck rib on the left side. She said her fascia was tight on that whole left side. So she did a little releasing and Funny was happy. Liz told me to adjust her today. I told her I would because they were all overdue, though I did manage to get Dan done recently. Liz laughed and said Funny told on me. She knew I had done Dan and not her! Okay... okay!! I did adjust her this afternoon. And we did some fascial work. And some crotch scratching because good grief she was doing the splits to get me to scratch her! She was definitely stuck and tight in the left shoulder, but also the sternum and cranial ribs. And she had some ribs on the left (but also the right) and then her pelvis. I also got big releases in her neck and hyoid. She was actually downright angry about her hyoid... like tried to bite me a few times. Or... threatened to bite me but never actually did bite me. But like came towards me with her teeth open. Same with her lower cervicals too. But I got it done and she got some good releases and then she stopped trying to bite me. 

Once we got Funny happier and my saddle right, I hopped back on and I slowly picked up the reins. I'm getting better at this. Then we worked on the walk. It went much better than the last time. We barely had any jigging and when we did, she and I both softened much quicker. Liz did remind me to let her trot, because otherwise she won't learn from her mistakes. I have to allow her to make the mistake to be able to teach her. So then we discussed the trot and I had an epiphany! Liz had been telling me to ask for counterbend and then trot as I release her back to true bend. But in my brain, I thought she meant... get a nice counterbend... then ask for true bend and ask for trot in that moment. Which is what I was doing. Which was not working. But what she meant was not that. She wanted me to get a nice trot, then ask for counter flexion and then go right back into true bend and ask for the trot then. The counter flexion, flexion and trot was one movement... not two... not counter flex, and then true flex and trot. No wonder it wasn't going well. But once I started to do it the correct way... get a nice walk, then ask for a second of counter flexion, then go back to true bend and ask for trot, we started getting a nice trot. Liz explained that the split second of counter flexion, just put Funny into the outside rein. Ohhhhhh... Good gravy, why did I not figure that out?? But now I know. And that makes much more sense to me. And Funny too apparently.

We got some nice trot work. I had to keep my elbows at my hips, wide hands, and post up and down, instead of front to back. I was getting slightly ahead of her again lately, so by remembering to sit up and stay upright.. and slow my post... it helps. And I had to remember to keep my eyes to the outside. But I can turn my belly button to the inside. And that made a huge difference. A much bigger difference than I expected. So.. noted! We played with spiral in and spiral out too. And we got some really nice trot. Oh, and I have to lift my inside hand slightly compared to my outside hand. Which, really just makes me even. When I think lift my inside hand, especially when it's the left hand, it uncollapses my whole left side. Ahhhh! 

Then we did some cantering and we did the same thing for the upward transition. Get a nice trot, then ask for slight outside flexion for one step, then go back to true flexion and ask for the canter. BUT, I have to keep my eyes to the outside. So... I have to counterflex for the aid too. And we got some nice canters!! Yay! Then I had to lift my hands a little, especially the inside hand, and sit up tall and use my core, and slightly tighten my thighs, and it got even nicer! So then Liz had me go along the long side and "collect" the canter. It worked.. a little bit. She got a really nice canter and then our downwards were nice. Although she did fall out of the canter once because I collected too much. But we talked about that... I think sometimes I back off on collecting the canter because I know she can't hold it long and will break to a trot. But, she'll never get stronger if she doesn't go there. So, even if she can only hold the collected canter for 2 strides and then falls to a trot.. that's 2 strides more in that good muscle pattern, so... I need to go for it. And just not be upset when she falls out of it. And eventually, we'll get strong enough to hold it for a whole circle. And then more. Yay!

So then we were talking a break and Funny marched up to the gate and was standing there like "I've cantered both ways.. it's hot... I"m done.. let me march home". ha ha. But Liz said she had one more thing in mind. So I picked Funny back up and she had me walk over the cavalettis in the circle. Funny got a hair fussy but then settled because I did all the right things and just let her come back to me. So then we trotted them and she was great! She actually trotted them and stayed soft and happy. So then we cantered. We started on the right lead (her easier lead) and it took a minute, but we actually got her to stay collected and literally canter over the cavaletti vs jumping it. And she didn't take long spots... she got to the base. Ooooooh, good girl! So then we went the hard way and she was so good. The first cavaletti she jumped it but was soft and quiet and landed quietly and then the next cavaletti she cantered over nicely and to the base. And it was awesome! So then I kept the super nice canter and then collected it til we got a lovely downward trot. And then.. that trot!! Holy cow! It was lovely. And she was in true self carriage... she was round and soft with a lifted back and I softened the reins and nothing changed! Whoo hooo. We got a nice downward to a walk and then we quit. GOOD PONY!