Breakthrough

Well, the dressage saddle we tried didn't fit. It actually fit Finn really well, but for me it was uncomfortable, pitched me forward, and my legs didn't feel supported correctly. Finn still looked pretty cute as a dressage pony though!

Today we had our first lesson back with our old instructor. The lesson started out with Finn stiff, resistant, evading the bit, swishing his tail, pinning his ears, and his head practically under my chin. I told trainer he's been going okay since we've been back, but that he is just so tense, which, in turn, makes me so tense. We started out long and low on a 20m circle, switching directions, and picking up a little bit of contact every so often, while still making him work long and low. After about 20 minutes of me riding as quietly as possible, trainer had me pick up more contact. This made Finn lift his head, swish his tail, and led to about a 5 minute argument of a battle of wills. Trainer then asked if she could hop on him to figure out what I was feeling. I told her I was just feeling so stuck. She's never ridden him before. It took her about a minute to get him soft, relaxed, forward, and using his back. She rode him for about 20 minutes and then I hopped on.
     Quick backstory... I've had a lot of trainers in my life, and very little consistency in terms of trainers since I've had Finn. In all of my time riding I've never been taught the concept of inside leg to outside rein. I've read about it, and heard about it in lessons but never really understood how to utilize the concept.
When trainer explained what I need to do...push him with my inside leg to my outside hand...I literally yelled out HOLY CRAP. I suddenly had a horse going straight, soft, forward, round, and using his back and hind end. There have been times when I've thought he was using himself correctly. I was so wrong. I may have had his head down, but I didn't have that true contact I felt today, and a straight horse. It was a really crazy feeling to feel your horse move the complete opposite of how you've felt them move for TWO YEARS. It all clicked. I've been riding him wrong for nearly two years. It was a huge breakthrough, and a concept that I suddenly got, and was able to maintain throughout the rest of the lesson. Maybe now we can build that top line!! After our lesson I hosed him off, let him eat a little grass, and Back on Track'd the hell out of him (I should buy stock in BOT...). Such a great day, love my horse, and so happy to be back at our barn and with our trainer. Trainer's also going to do a training ride on Monday night, then I have another lesson Tuesday night, then we have a dressage clinic this weekend. Woohoo!

Lessons

The past few weeks I've changed my work schedule around so I could take some dressage lessons with the barn's regular trainer. She normally teaches younger kids, and after watching some very basic walk/trot lessons, I wasn't sure if we were going to click. Holy crap...After two lessons, I've never been more sore or sweaty, and learned so much. I absolutely LOVE her and it makes me not want to move at the end of the month. I've never really understood what is an appropriate amount of contact to have. After growing up with drill sergeant instructors who repeated over and over the importance of "soft hands" I didn't realize until two weeks ago how my idea of soft hands is really NO contact...like not even a feel on Finn's mouth. Trainer emphasized that having weight in my hands is important, and letting Finn know I'm there to help him is important, until he's able/strong enough to carry himself correctly. When I lifted my hands, and really pushed him into my hands, it was like a whole different world. A forward, relaxed horse for all of five strides until we lost it. Our second lesson was better than our first, and trainer had to constantly remind me to scratch Finn on the neck when he was a good boy. Whenever I scratched Finn and whispered good boy, he'd try even harder. Trainer says Finn is not the type of horse that you can just "force" something onto him. He needs to think about it, process it, and try to execute it. If he doesn't execute correctly he gets frustrated. He thrives on positive reinforcement and really wants to do things right, he just doesn't have the training yet. When trainer asked us what our goals were I said I'd like to do a few BN schooling events this summer, and work on getting him collected, willing, and straight. We reviewed the dressage pyramid of training and I guess I didn't realize how high up actual straightness is:

I think we have made strides this past year in terms of rhythm, relaxation, and connection...but not so much in terms of impulsion. We'll also be taking a few jumping lessons in the next few weeks before we move with the other trainer at the barn. My friend Michelle, who was riding Finn a few times a week, recently moved her horse closer to home, so now it's all on me, and I haven't jumped him in nearly a month. I've been riding 4-5 times a week on the flat and I really feel like we're getting somewhere, but we definitely need to start jumping more. Tentative schedule for the week:

Monday- Flat school outside
Tuesday- Flat school, and popping over a few cross rails
Wednesday- Finn gets the day off, I'll probably take a yoga class
Thursday- Jumping lesson
Friday- Possible flat school or hack
Saturday- Dressage lesson
Sunday- Day off

In other news, Finn has been breaking out in hives due to bugs. He gets fly sprayed every day, and wears a fly mask but still has hives all over his neck and sides. They don't seem to bother him, and go right down when I put witch hazel on them, but they look horrible. I'm afraid to put him in a fly sheet because I've heard that flies can get under them and bug him even more...but I don't want him looking so horrible. I don't know if I should try a different fly spray (we currently use this) or what.

Very happy to be eating dinner inside with his Back on Track gear on!

This one loves ponies....we're in trouble

Also, be sure to check out the awesome, super cute, Happy Hound stationary giveaway on She Moved To Texas' blog! :)  http://www.shemovedtotexas.com/happy-hound-personalized-equestrian-stationary-giveaway/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SheMovedToTexas+%28She+Moved+to+Texas%29