Inch by Inch...

Yesterday's ride yielded a few strong reminders:

1. Always ride the horse (and mind frame) that you have in front of you that day. Dont set expectations for perfection - things take time.
1. Don't forget that your horse is always mirroring your own riding. Having a problem with getting on that right rein? Look at your own body's alignment - are you sitting squarely in neutral postur? Or are you allowing your left hip to lock forward and create a twist in your body, one you cant possibly expect your horse to compensate for, therefore he has a twist in his body.
2. Set things up properly for ultimate success.
1. We are in a large arena, give ample room for the maneuvers being addressed
2. Don't expect a lead change on a tight turn, heed the above suggestion.
3. Nose in, hip out for the spin exercise. Reviewing video, we had nose out hip out, no wonder he couldnt balance on the inside leg.
3. Finally, appreciate the great effort your horse is giving you, even if the maneuvers are looked upon as perfect. This is all new for the horse as yourself, remember:

Inch by inch, its a cinch. Yard by yard, it's really hard.

If you didnt get my drift, I taped myself riding yesterday and our issues were shockingly translated on tape.

I do love my Milo. Not my terrible roots though! GAH!