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Post by el on Jun 22, 2015 21:28:35 GMT
SESSION 53: mid summer nights 9pm ride! Legendary - back in my bareback pad! It's so comfy - much more comfy than the sensation!!! And that's not bad!! We did lots of semi serps. I made sure I looked up and felt the front feet. Then we did trots and semi serps and trots to halt!! Getting a ton better!!! Soft feel and halt and also halt to backup, both happening with 95% seat mvt. Very very happy I think we're in a good place for Steve!! No major huge problems right now and a lot of stuff we can have fun polishing.
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Post by el on Jun 23, 2015 11:21:06 GMT
SESSION 54:
Sensation saddle & non slip girth & skito = BINGO!!
Saddle doesn't slip any more without stirrups anyway. Will try with stirrups later today / tomorrow.
Oz was a legend. Semi serps, 10-9-8, etc, and then in sitting trot we did figures of 8s, leg yields and trot to halts. Woohoooo!!! Going to have so much fun when Steve is here!!!!!!!
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Post by el on Jun 23, 2015 17:01:17 GMT
SESSION 55: A HOT AFTERNOON!
Saddle doesn't slip with stirrups and using both sensation & thinline girths so yay!
Horse great, trots, backups, semi serps.
One thing - When I went to get off Oz got very worried in 2 secs as I put hand on front right of saddle and looked like he was about to go straight up if I continued. So I stopped. Happened twice, both times i think on front left.
Got off both times - once on near side, and once without touching saddle with hands - just touched neck - and he was fine.
Checked his back all over after to see if any sensitivity after the stirrups - couldn't find any anywhere. Definitely could be remembered pain - as this was sore when saddle was sore and me putting more pressure his my hand on shoulder when getting off would make it worse.
BUT - Oz didn't just do stuff from memory and he;s been fine since then. Will be keeping a close on to see if sensation saddle / girth combo causes any issues and if trouble will assume its one of these & go back to bareback pad.
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Post by el on Jun 24, 2015 12:25:09 GMT
SESSION 56: turns with legs only, stops with seat only Legendary horse. Really good semi serps. Legs only and really soft! Riding just in bareback pad. Fun trotting around. Lovely day. Oz is worried when I dismount. Need to get Steve to figure this out with me Oz is expecting pain. His back was fine after ride no issues.
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Post by el on Jun 24, 2015 12:25:22 GMT
SESSION 56: turns with legs only, stops with seat only Legendary horse. Really good semi serps. Legs only and really soft! Riding just in bareback pad. Fun trotting around. Lovely day. Oz is worried when I dismount. Need to get Steve to figure this out with me Oz is expecting pain. His back was fine after ride no issues.
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Post by el on Jun 26, 2015 22:33:01 GMT
SESSION 57: Lovely - in new saddle that doesn't skip anymore. Hour #4 or thereabouts. HORSE: Semi serps, little trots, halts, backups with mainly my body... ME: Looking where I'm going, legs before hands, smiling Put Oz loose in Horsebox and brought him to clinic yard. Walked up front ramp and into box, facing out the back. Grand. When doors started to close Oz got a little worried. He was now loose in box. Turned around once or twice and then we got moving. He was fine, very quiet on the trip facing out the back. To unload, we opened up front top section. He turned himself around to face forwards in the box. I clipped on a lead rope and we opened front ramp. Stood there for about a minute in horsebox with ramp open and then calmly walked out. Tiny bit of sweat just behind both elbows but no sweat on chest etc and all in one piece Very happy he got there ok Will clean him and ride him there tomorrow the.steves clinic begins on Sunday!! Dismounting update: So Oz gets worried not when I take feet out of stirrups, but when I lean forward in preparation to swing leg over back of saddle. So today I did opposite, swung leg over front of saddle and slipped down his side to the ground. He didn't do much as blink.
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Post by el on Jun 28, 2015 19:58:08 GMT
SESSION 58 and 59:
STEVF CLINIC DAY 1
About half hour in sensation. Slipping a bit. Steve big hugely impressed when he rode in it.
Report coming seperatly!
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Post by el on Jul 2, 2015 12:18:00 GMT
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Post by el on Jul 2, 2015 19:02:36 GMT
SESSION 64: Did 'the day after' session today. Could we still do cool stuff without Steve??!!! In hand forwards and backwards was great and equal!! Got our best in hand groundwork trot with sideways and soft on a loose rein! Going the tricky direction!! Esp when I really pushed out the HQ!! Better than yesterday!! Then some lovely riding in hackamore lots of circles and bends using just legs and get down rope when needed. Reins in one hand and I used them about 3 times in 30 mins. Magic horse. And counter bends, a few that were PERFECT - his front legs felt like wheels gliding lightly along a circle I wonder in the next week can I improve our soft, in walk to halt, and move up to trots with bend and softness in the hackamore?? That'd be cool to video for Steve.
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Post by el on Jul 3, 2015 18:05:26 GMT
SESSION 65: Groundwork: two major accomplishments (maybe 3) In hand straight line walks and backups getting really good. I have his feet in my hands 1. Circles in hand with bend in trot - ok to start then oz started messing in trot. Brilliant I thought and kept him trotting with a few changes of direction until be stopped squealing. Got him back down to chilled out by not backing down and not rewarding the messing. Go me! 2. Half way through Oz realised he could follow a feel downwards while he moved. We practised this in walk and got really nice relaxed neck walk to halts. Big change. 3. After we learned #2, then Oz stopped doing his head Tossing so much as he was concentrating on following the rope feel Also in general I got better at analysing where his body was getting stuck and then going something different to fix it. Progress! VIDEO ASSESSMENT: More determined walking Less rein use in GW Oz is doing really nice bends with relaxation
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Post by el on Jul 3, 2015 21:30:46 GMT
Also just seen a video of me riding in bare back pad. My posture has changed 100% for the better. No joking.
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Post by el on Jul 4, 2015 18:24:17 GMT
SESSION 66: GW: 1. Lovely so no messing to deal with 2. In hand straight line soft forwards and backwards - did 3 of these in trot, totally soft, no leaning, wonderful as this is an improvement I wanted to make before I see Steve again VIDEO LESSON: remove pause between half and backup please 3. Soft in hand trots in circles. Much better my size circles. Oz cool. Good bends. Will review video to get more tips. VIDEO REVIEW: good, walk faster! RIDING: Started to rain so Oz got a bit fed up. Energy went up. VIDEO REVIEW: he looked good! Really! Lovely backup by Oz, and I need to keep my hands down. Stayed in walk in hackamore. Oz escaping a bit through the shoulder initially but fixed that once we move HQ out. Big energetic walk throughout, huge strides. got some nice bends and some MAGIC counter bends just like his front feet were wheels. VIDEO: these looked fab on video too. Plus got a really soft walk to halt, need more of these. One leg energy from me translated a little into both sideways and forwards (not forwards Oz) but we fixed it up has to go back to a little more two hand riding. Will review video and get more info on what I could have done better. Nice session, must have been out pottering in between rain shoulders fur nearly 2 hours. VIDEO REVIEW: Hands down Me dismounting really bothers Oz. Get off using block for now.
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Post by el on Jul 4, 2015 18:34:10 GMT
GOALS FOR THE NEXT 5 DAYS:
GW:
In hand straight line soft trots (3 done), no pauses
In hand trot circles both reins looking similar (on the way for sure). Determined walk.
RIDING:
Walk one handed hackamore, nice bends and counter bends (done just to polish). Hands down. REMEMBER indirect rein to push out outside hind. Do pattern - leg yield - counter bend - circle - straight - repeat other way.
Same as above in trot (lots to practise!!). Hands down.
Walk to halt with soft neck, the opposite to his habit (needs work when I'm riding)
Neck flips: try one of:
1 - keep pressure on reins but allow to go through fingers 2 - use / end if rope on other side 3 - let him run into my hand but tricky as he's a bit too fast
Dismount via block.
GOALS AFTER THIS:
Counter bends in trot
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Post by el on Jul 5, 2015 10:24:15 GMT
SESSION 67 and 68: GW: In hand straight line back and forwards walk and trot : good. Pauses much reduced. VIDEO REVIEW: After watching video we need a faster backup that's matches the forwards speed. UPDATE: got faster backup! In hands circles: walking on more is good! Keep leading hand down a bit like Steve. VIDEO: looks pretty good! Keep up the determined walk. Kept Oz moving in trot when he was messing and saw a lot of softness afterwards yay I got a result! UPDATE: lower hand and keep moving improved! RIDING: hackamore and bare back pad WALK CIRCLES, steer with legs and get down rope only. VIDEO UPDATE: good - nice not using the reins. Next time more sideways and more HQ out, which will leads towards vertical flexion. MORE SIDEWAYS! EXECELLENT soft walk to halt!! Go Ozzie!! VIDEO: and another lovely one!! TROTS: VIDEO - we look pretty good / relaxed trotting on video!! on loose rein, one handed hackamore legs and get down rope for steering. Cue unscheduled dismount in trot! USEFUL LESSONS: if Oz is distracted in trot maybe go back to walk. Don't try and stay on by holding onto a bare back pad. Also sometimes stirrups may be useful
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Post by el on Jul 5, 2015 18:47:37 GMT
SESSION 69: that evening
I felt so bad after walking Oz into trouble earlier today. 100% my fault. So back out this eve for a light ridden session to see how he was.
Tacked up and hopped on. The plan was to just do some soft walks to halts.
Oz blew me away - soft, relaxed with all Halts lovely and even lovely circle bends, HQ disengagement sand and the smoothest counter bends.
We did it all just in walk. 15 mins or less and we were done.
Dismounted via block but need to make it a little higher.
Humbled by my horses generosity and softness this evening.
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