Gadget has had a lighter workload the last couple months, but I have been trying to get us both back in gear over the past couple weeks. I have been really nailing my tempis, so I was excited to show Ryan our progress. I also have been riding Gadget in the snaffle exclusively and felt like I was getting a better connection in the canter, so I decided day 1 of the clinic would be the snaffle.
In this clinic, Ryan really focused on getting Gadget more active behind. We spent a lot of time in our "smaller trot" where we make it as small as possible while still asking for activity. Ryan said this has a better rhythm than it used to (he doesn't try to walk), but we need to get more power from the hind end.
I was constantly reminded to keep my hands low, even though they felt fairly low. It's amazing how "feel" can be so misleading.
We did some shoulder-in to half-pass in trot. This felt pretty good. We moved to canter, establishing shoulder fore before doing our halfpasses. These also felt pretty good.
When we finally moved to our tempis, I blew them. Gadget got stuck in his shoulders, so that changes were off the count. I was so frustrated! I told Ryan that I have been getting them at home, and we talked about how I set it up at home. I told him that I ride the tiny trot getting him up in the shoulders, then move to canter and ride them. Ryan said that's a good exercise, but now I need to learn to ride other canter work and be able to rebalance him for the tempis -- like in the test. Sometimes the answer is so obvious. Thank God for patient trainers. Ryan said that I don't get Gadget organized and up enough enough in the shoulders, so that needs to be my new goal.
Ryan also emphasized that the changes are not a problem and not to worry about them. He said focusing on how I ride my corners, set up the canter, and keep him on his hind end will make or break my PSG tests.
Toward the end, we rode some trot work trying to get more volume in the trot. I think of it as being more bouncy without being faster. It was a fantastic lesson.
Day 2 was also great. I put Gadget back in the double, and we really focused on keeping my hands low. It felt like they were on his shoulders, but the video confirmed that not to be the case. The key is to keep his neck softer and rounder, while letting his shoulders come up. This will be a challenge for me without mirrors.
We again played with a lot of transitions from smaller trot to larger trot. We did some transitions in the canter, making him stay up through the transitions and even in the counter canter. There was a focus throughout the lesson on a loose leg. He must maintain the activity and, if not, I box his with my calves - not the spur.
We ended with quarter pirouettes on a square and they felt so much better! To the right, he was so willing to sit and let me drive. Even to the left, he was willing to stay in a small canter and turn. To the left, I must keep the reins and neck soft as that make such a big difference for Gadget.
Overall, really good lessons with lots of homework!
In this clinic, Ryan really focused on getting Gadget more active behind. We spent a lot of time in our "smaller trot" where we make it as small as possible while still asking for activity. Ryan said this has a better rhythm than it used to (he doesn't try to walk), but we need to get more power from the hind end.
I was constantly reminded to keep my hands low, even though they felt fairly low. It's amazing how "feel" can be so misleading.
We did some shoulder-in to half-pass in trot. This felt pretty good. We moved to canter, establishing shoulder fore before doing our halfpasses. These also felt pretty good.
When we finally moved to our tempis, I blew them. Gadget got stuck in his shoulders, so that changes were off the count. I was so frustrated! I told Ryan that I have been getting them at home, and we talked about how I set it up at home. I told him that I ride the tiny trot getting him up in the shoulders, then move to canter and ride them. Ryan said that's a good exercise, but now I need to learn to ride other canter work and be able to rebalance him for the tempis -- like in the test. Sometimes the answer is so obvious. Thank God for patient trainers. Ryan said that I don't get Gadget organized and up enough enough in the shoulders, so that needs to be my new goal.
Ryan also emphasized that the changes are not a problem and not to worry about them. He said focusing on how I ride my corners, set up the canter, and keep him on his hind end will make or break my PSG tests.
Toward the end, we rode some trot work trying to get more volume in the trot. I think of it as being more bouncy without being faster. It was a fantastic lesson.
Day 2 was also great. I put Gadget back in the double, and we really focused on keeping my hands low. It felt like they were on his shoulders, but the video confirmed that not to be the case. The key is to keep his neck softer and rounder, while letting his shoulders come up. This will be a challenge for me without mirrors.
We again played with a lot of transitions from smaller trot to larger trot. We did some transitions in the canter, making him stay up through the transitions and even in the counter canter. There was a focus throughout the lesson on a loose leg. He must maintain the activity and, if not, I box his with my calves - not the spur.
We ended with quarter pirouettes on a square and they felt so much better! To the right, he was so willing to sit and let me drive. Even to the left, he was willing to stay in a small canter and turn. To the left, I must keep the reins and neck soft as that make such a big difference for Gadget.
Overall, really good lessons with lots of homework!
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