Amanda has me working on a new exercise. We trot shoulder-in and then I shift Ashke's hip to the inside step and straighten his body. Then back to shoulder in. It's difficult to keep the horse from wanting to move his shoulders out instead of stepping in, or swinging his hip in an overly exaggerated move. It takes a lot of work on my part to be subtle enough to have him step in without overswinging his hip or me losing control of his shoulder.
We worked on square corners in both directions, asking him to remember to be round and listen to my ask. He did better today, not trying to throw his butt to the inside, nor spinning to the inside. He stayed straight through his body.
Next we worked on changes in the serpentine and I really focused on keeping him straight before and after the change and resting my hands on the pommel during the changes. My interference with my hands is throwing off his timing. By anchoring my hands, I'm not fucking with him during the change. It's been very helpful and he is getting so much better. His change from right lead to left is still just a hair off, but Amanda and I can live with it. She's afraid that this might just be how he changes from right to left. It feels so much better, that I don't care that he is a half-step behind in his change in the back.
We finished up with half-pass at the canter, with a change to half circle and back.
Amanda thinks the hitch in that change just might be limited by his physical injuries.
I'm okay with it though.
And some random images from the past couple of days:
Outside and the hawks be damned!
T wouldn't let her lay with him so she did the next best thing
Weds walk-about
Skeptical horse isn't sure about the golfing happening in the field nextdoor.
This is the look one gives the white and green bench!!
She is just flat out cool.
Half a lesson is better than none. You two are looking good.
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