Ryan Yap clinic -- August 2015

Ryan Yap clinic -- August 2015 - Responsiveness

I know responsiveness is important. We work on it daily in different ways. Ryan showed me that Gadget basically blows off my right leg to avoid working so hard with his right hind. It was a breakthrough lesson!

Exercise: when Gadget doesn't react by moving haunches and rib cage away from right leg, school him on 10M circle in walk. To the right, put right inside leg on, if he doesn't quickly bend through barrel and step his haunches over to the left, give him a quick kick with that leg. Make the point with a tap with the whip if necessary. He must respect the right leg.

This is the corollary of how Kristin taught me to ride the left trot/canter thinking of keeping the haunches slightly to the inside around corners and when collecting to keep the right hind active and stepping. We talked about how to ride it under going right, but it didn't stick until this lesson. The difference in our halfpasses was amazing! It gave me access to the bend I've been looking for in the HP!

To the right, when I ask him to react off of the right leg, I am asking him to give in barrel and step up with the right leg. The positioning is slight shoulder fore, but not from the reins -- from the right leg. It feels like he comes up in front, softens, and allows me to drive. So cool!

In canter, we did a forward and back exercise in the canter focusing on sharp reactions forward with quicker not bigger steps behind. The goal is to make him want to stay quick when he comes back so I don't have to ride and push every step. It was a great lesson in how to ride that exercise with purpose. Gadget was so good and tried so hard during the lesson. To the left, the haunches must come in to collect. Then straighten to go forward. He must react and carry on the right hind.

Also, while at the clinic, two girls in their teens/early twenties that routinely ride in these clinics told me that they are my fans. I think I glowed all day from the compliment. Sometimes I forget that the things I am working to fix right now are the very things I was dreaming to do just a couple years ago.

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