Butt Hurt

Ok, I'm laughing just reading the title . . . .

We had a lesson last night, which is good because I swear that's the only way I end up at the barn in December. So far this month, Ashke has had at least three five day breaks. Not that he really needs the work, but I really do. I can feel it in my legs and butt when I'm not riding four days a week.

We rode on Christmas day, after our late lunch, and I was the only one at the barn. We worked on all of the regular stuff, but then I finished off the ride by doing w-t-w transitions asking Ashke to remain on the bit. For the first time, really, he was willing and able to live in that place. We did have some struggles in the southern end of the arena, but I'm just going to have to figure out how to ride through it and insist he continue with the work we are doing.

Last night, I set up the livestock pen for us to play with. Ashke got tense and worried at the south end of the arena, but both Amanda and myself believe he is looking for an excuse. I just need to ride him through it better, rather than getting into a fight with him. It is beyond frustrating to me. And he really only does it at the canter, which is so telling - the corner isn't scary unless we are cantering? Really?

Once Ashke was fairly warmed up, we started playing with the livestock pen. Amanda had me try picking up the canter inside the circle from the trot, but it was impossible. We went back to the walk and I gave him lots of support. I had to figure out how to ride the outside edge of the inside circle, to make the circle as big as possible. Plus, I had to 1) not look down!! (fuck! His shoulder is not going to disappear if I'm not watching it AND we can ride a circle without me staring at the fucking ground), 2) I have got to stop throwing my hands away. Ashke actually has progressed to the point where the connection needs to continue to happen even in the canter or he has no support. 3) I need to stop leaning forward and dumping my weight onto his withers. He cannot bring his shoulders up and around if my weight is over them. Amanda kept saying "sit back onto your pockets". And guess what?!! Once I did that, he was able to canter both directions. An 8 meter circle. It was amazing.

His back and butt were tired after that, so we worked on leg yields from the L4 test (ten meter circle and leg yield to the wall) in both directions. I ended up putting the spurs back on, since I was having to pony kick the leg yield. So undignified. Spurs helped a lot. Then we did some canter work on the rail, with controlling his strides to length the canter and come back to the slower more collected canter. Again, a movement from the L4 test. We definitely need more practice in learning to live in connection at the canter. I have got to stop moving my hands forward when asking for the canter. He can find his comfort level, if I can remain quiet and hold the contact.

Finally, we finished with trot-walk-trot transitions one handed, which means completely off my seat. And letting him figure out where it is comfortable for him to be by not moving my hands during the transitions. I have a tendency to tip forward, trying to be soft in the contact, instead of remaining in the same place and allowing him to figure out how not to bonk himself on the bit. His response to my request for a transition down was to halt, which we will take at this point. It means he is listening and trying. My biggest challenge is to keep my body straight when riding with one hand, so I'm not tipping to the left side or twisting my shoulders.

By that time, Ashke was struggling to maintain a canter lead, and his hips were sore. We ended it on the trot transitions and called it good. I am going to work on the canter-walk-canter transitions on the rail, just like I have been with the trot-walk-trot ones and see if we can get him even stronger in his hind end. If I can maintain a constant contact at the canter through transitions, that will help improve his canter a lot.