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February clinic with Kenny

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It's been one heck of winter with lots of snow and frigid temperatures. The horses were not turned out for weeks, so I tried to make a point to keep Gadget working so he would not go completely stir crazy. We really had some breakthroughs! I think I am finally finding the way to ride him uphill in light contact while still keeping an active seat. The trot and canter quality has much improved.

Yesterday after my ride with Kenny he said it was the best he has ever seen Gadget go. It made my heart sing to hear that! The video confirms that Gadget is looking more elastic and generally happier. He worked so hard yesterday! It was so much fun!

We worked on medium trot and canter:

In the canter, cut the corner by a step and leg yield him that last step on the rail, then start the medium. To bring him back, tap him lightly on hindquarters. Reacts well to this by becoming very active.

In the trot, train the medium from quarter line to quarter line on the diagonal. When you turn on to diagonal, wrap your legs around him and harness the energy, then tell him to go at the quarter line. To bring him back, think of wrapping legs again and collecting him up while thinking of passage (slow). 

Continuing to work to quiet my hands. My right hand and arm are still pulling and are not steady enough. For now, I am simply releasing forward, but I need to teach that side to be soft and steady.

On the second day of the clinic, Gadget lost his spark. He was still wonderful and I would have been overjoyed with this quality of work not long ago, but he had some muscle stiffness today that we had to work through. He also added in little random bucks when cantering right and bucked into right change. I need to keep an eye on this. I noticed a small girth rub today, so that May have been part of the discomfort.

Today, we loosened the canter. Kenny had me use my counter flexion at canter on a circle while putting him rounder-- really effective. Gadget loves his medium canter on a circle so we did some of that. We also worked on the canter halfpass from quarter line to centerline to change. It looked and felt so much better! Kenny remarked that I am no longer working so hard to get the halfpass and he's right! Yay! It had rhythm and sideways. Woohoo! Need to add in more bend. To the right, ride true diagonal before taking OUTSIDE rein to move him more sideways. He bends easily this direction. To the left, ride diagonal, take outside rein to step over, then get bend with inside left rein and circle to left while really supplying with left hand and leg. Do a couple more steps, then another circle, then more forward to the change. If he's over reactive in the changes, think of changing from your seat alone. This worked today since he was really anticipating.

In sum, two really lovely rides. The clinic atmosphere was also so nice. I've made new friends and really enjoy hanging out with this group of great ladies. 

 Third level test 2 and 3 seem within our reach this season!
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