Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label collecting the canter

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 lo...

Back in the Saddle Again - quick notes

After about 6 weeks out of the saddle due to a compression fracture and strained MCL to my right knee, I am finally back in the saddle! Gadget has been at Kristin's, so I drove up to Cleveland for a lesson. I rode Gadget on Saturday, watched Kristin ride Gadget on Sunday, and then took a lesson on Isaac on Sunday. Here are just the highlights to remember: Ride with square, straight shoulders I tend to put Gadget in shoulder-fore all the time and ride with my shoulders twisted to the inside, and I let him disengage his haunches. I need to almost think of turning my chest slightly to the outside. Through corners, I need to think of keeping my shoulders back and very square so as not to overturn. This is also crucial for the turn on to centerline. Do less, expect more. Isaac has a nice, strong collected canter. I was able to work on really holding my seat still while still maintaining the active canter. Need to do this with Gadget. Be softer on the left rein in the ri...