I was supposed to work with Michael today, but he got stuck shoeing some horses so I ended up riding alone. I started out in the indoor because it was a really crappy day out. Not even crappy, just fall-like. Very grey and blustery.
Let me tell you, the work I got in the indoor was GREAT. I decided to do some refined work on the stuff I know we can handle without getting messed up - ie walk and trot - and she was SOOOO pretty! We don't have mirrors but I use the windows to see us, haha.
I concentrated really hard on keeping my hands steady and only massaging the inside when her head needed to come down, not all the time. I also made sure she was constantly stepping underneath herself and using her muscles. She looked absolutely gorgeous!!! The trot work was the best, and we put a bunch of bending on circles and extending in, too, so she had to work but it stayed interesting.
In the canter, she didn't want to do it for long, and my stirrups were long and I just felt discombobulated so we didn't do much. After, though, we went in the field and she was super looky and high - it's the first really FALL day that I've ridden her, and she hadn't been worked very hard before going out there. She never really spooked at anything, but it was an exercise in relaxing. It was almost good for me to have to work by myself because I WANTED to hang on to her mouth and tighten up a little bit, but had to talk myself out of it - I didn't have anyone telling me to relax or to keep conversation with.
I was supposed to ride a bunch this weekend because I was housesitting @ the Beuth's, but I didn't. Back to the grind on Monday...
No comments:
Post a Comment