What's the Problem??

The last ...well, long time, I have felt more frustration in my rides with Milo then encouragement, progress, or, well, happiness. I dont want to come across as dramatic, but I have to be honest and this blog is for the good and the bad.

I have been having amazing lessons with Wesley where I learn a lot and feel really in tune with the horse and my body. I come away from those lessons pumped and super excited to go have a breakthrough with Milo, only to end up being frustrated and disappointed because the ride isnt a mirror copy of that I had on Wesley. I know I shouldnt expect each ride to be exactly the same because they are completely different horses, with different levels of experience, and well, Im sure I am not riding the same on each one.

But when I get back on Milo it just feels like everything I learned on Wesley just isnt possible with Milo. I was having a rough day at work because of a crummy ride in the morning, and a concerned friend noticed I wasnt myself. He asked what was wrong and in an effort to explain to a non-horse person the sensitive differences between the two rides, he simply said, "Milo is a smart horse, just give him some time and he will eventually learn."

I sort of shrugged in response, thinking, what does he know? He's never ridden a horse. But those words got me thinking.

Milo and I have only been working with Sarah for a little over a year. Sarah has owned Wesley for many years. Milo and I only get to have a lesson together maybe once a month (currently, we are going on two months, this is not by choice, btw; thank you life), Wesley gets to have lessons from Sarah multiple times a week. Wesley has different conformation than Milo making some maneuvers easier. Wesley also have years of correct conditioning to make those maneuvers He also has multiple people riding him and get learn to be more fine tuned with aids, Weez knows his job and performs only when you ask correctly. I am trying to teach Milo things that I just learned and dont truly know yet.

And this is where I really had to think about it, and consider what my friend had told me. Which made me come to the realization that I am a terror of a rider for Milo. I come off of a ride with Wesley and want it mirrored on my horse, who hadnt had a moment to even learn the concepts that Wesley had taught me. I think too much when I'm riding Milo. On Weez, Sarah is there coaching me through every step. If I run into a problem, or am not breathing (classic), she is there to point it out before frustration arises. On Milo, I am alone and trying to teach him something I just learned. So I try and remember all of the things that Sarah has told me to be aware of; pizza slices, half halt on the motorcycle, rotate my upper body into the turn, keep my legs at an arc, try and breathe meditatively throughout, look where I'm going, be aware of Milo's hind end even though I keep looking down to make sure my pizza slices are correct, realize Milo's head is coming up and when I apply leg he speeds up rather than lifts his back, so we work on that for a moment and forget about everything else until it dawns on me again that I need to be making sure that I'm doing what Sarah said.

It is tiresome. And frustrating. And I come away frustrated and upset with myself for getting so frustrated. I'm at a loss with no solution other than I need to be getting Milo out to lessons with Sarah more frequently. But that part of this all is out of my hands. Work schedules, boyfriend schedules, and truck accessibility. All I want for Christmas is a tow hitch on our F450, thats all I ask for! Then I have total freedom.

Pizza Slices and Motorcycles

Sarah watched me quietly as I warmed up Wesley. Remembering what she told me during our last lesson, I tried to remember to keep the contact through my reins as steady and straight to the bit as I could; I wasnt supposed to cross over the neck and give an indirect aid, we were working on straight. As Sarah reminded me in this lesson, straight cannot come from an indirect rein aid, I had to think of the reins like a chute, and my job was to keep Wesley straight in the chute. This analogy worked much better for me than trying to simply keep my rein contact straight to the bit.

Further working with my rein aids, Sarah demonstrated to me how when I simply curl my wrists to engage the bit, it simultaneously makes my upper body curl downward, and hunch over. The idea is to stay tall and engaged in my body always and through transitions. So she demonstrated a better way to aid with the rein; come upward and out slightly, not a big dramatic movement like you might imagine, but simply picking up the reins in a different way that would not only still aid in a straight manner (and with no indirection), but also allow my body to maintain up and breathing. I could think of this as maintaining a pizza slice in my reins, with the base of the slice being at my hands, and the tip at the bit and mouth. This subtle change was amazing in the results I would get from Wesley.

Sarah kept reminding me to breathe throughout everything. To steady by body, and Wesley's, by breathing rhythmically. She further explained that studies have shown that horse's breathing rates are far slower and more methodical, more meditative, than in humans. If I could slow down my breathing and get closer to that of the horse's it relaxes the both of us. And when I do, it truly feels meditative. Breathe in through the nose for a few strides, breathe out through the mouth for another few. It was amazing.

I just had to remember to continue breathing while cuing for something. I found (Sarah pointed out) that in any cue I tend to hold my breath, which in turn makes me tense by body. I thought this through and discovered that I hold my breath in an anticipation for the horse not responding. Its as if I wait there for a minute and think, "I hope you are going to do as I ask". Even as I cue, I dont seem to truly expect that what I ask for is going to happen. It seems that I subconsciously think that the horse is always going to choose the wrong answer, and I will have to discipline as necessary. This realization made me somewhat sad.

Sarah simply reminded me to breathe through the transition, believe in the horse, because if I don't believe that the right answer will happen, then the horse can pick up on that doubt and subsequently, be doubtful, probably then resulting in the wrong answer.

When our trot, walk, and transition work was good, we walked for a few moments before moving into the lope. In this work was where the lightbulb really turned on.

"Half halt ... lope," Sarah would instruct for our lope transition. The idea in the lope departure is to get the outside drive leg engaged and ready to propel forward. The horse's energy needs to be back and on the drive leg to cleanly step into the lope. This is why we push the horse onto the outside drive leg, and therefore, onto the outside rein, while maintaining an arc to the inside. The half halt comes when you feel the outside drive leg just come forward before hitting the ground, because the half halt asks that drive leg to come into the ground and prepare to, well, drive. Half halt, lope.

As we loped a twenty meter circle, Sarah asked if I felt how Wesley was tipped at his back, much like a motorcycle looks when going around a corner. I could feel it, and I voiced that I feel like Milo moves like this a lot. Without really knowing how to correct it, I usually just picked up on the inside rein in an effort to lift the inside shoulder. In fact, Sarah said, it is not the shoulder we need to focus on, as that is just the result of the loss of the outside drive leg. Wesley was tipping over because he was not over his drive leg, and therefore the shoulder fell down. To capture that outside drive leg was to use the half halt at the precise moment, again. With the half half, I would also need to maintain that Wesley was on the correct arc, and my body was allowing it as well. Sarah instructed me to rotate my body into the direction of the horse's movement. Not tip my weight into the inside, but rotate towards the inside. As soon as I found that perfect degree of rotation, Wesley slowed down and stayed upright. I couldnt help but give myself a little grief as I poked fun at how simple it was and yet how I just couldnt seem to find this on my own.

After we caught some air at the walk, it was time to try the lope the other direction. Half halt, lope. Still riding without stirrups, this direction was suddenly harder and Wesley was much more quick and rushy. Sarah quickly noted that I needed to get my weight off of my outside (left) seat bone. This was causing Wesley to drop his shoulder to the inside, which further resulted in me sitting more deeply on the left seat bone. I noted that this is an extremely difficult direction for Milo and I, where I feel that because of the shim needed on the left side, I have to compensate for it by sitting deeper on that seat bone. And when I do, we motorcycle. Just as we had done the other direction, I needed to rotate my body into the direction of the horse's movement, and get my weight off of the outside. She further encouraged me to bring my outside leg further back, and create an arc in my body for Wesley to follow. As I tried to rotate my body in, I thought I was at the right degree when Sarah told me to bring my shoulders more into the turn. I turned by upper body more and voila, Wesley come up straight, and was able to power from the drive leg. We loped circle after circle, as I concentrated on how different (and correct) this feels versus the motorcycling. How was m body different? How did my seat bones feel? Was I breathing? As I memorized all that this felt like, I continued to work on my breathing, and as I slowed down, so did Wesley. I was able to keep a feel on the reins, but give him more slack.

It made so much sense.

Forward to the Halt

"What is a transition?"

That question asked by Sarah suddenly made me think. I know what a transition is, but how am I supposed to describe it correctly? I knew what was in store for the lesson ahead now, but was eager for it because transitions, particularly downward ones, are a difficulty that Milo and I share (probably just me).

Sarah explained as I rode Wesley that a transition is any change of energy be it upward, downward, even a change of rein. A halt and a back were transitions as well. She also described the importance of  consistent contact throughout all transitions. Sarah added that it is very common for riders to want to drop the contact in forward transitions. I must admit to this one. Furthermore, forward is key in every transition, back to front.

She had me transition from walk to halt to back to forward. If Wesley hollowed his back and stopped hard, he was disconnected. If he dropped his back in the back up, we lost connection again. They key was to find the downward transition from my body and keep the forward energy throughout. A few tries in and I found it from the walk to halt to back - fluid throughout as if there was no transition between. We moved it to the trot, remembering to stay forward, but not quick. From trot to walk forward was again emphasized. As I prepared for the downward transition, I stayed as soft and allowing as possible in my body, while keeping the same consistent connection through the reins and my legs. It took about the length of the long side of the arena before Wesley finally came to a trot, but what the difference was between just a late transition and this one was how "high" or "tall" those trot steps were before coming to the walk. In an effort to stay connected and engaged from the rear, Wesley slowed his trot way down, but didnt loose the energy, so the movement was much taller since distance wasnt being used. Sarah commented how nice of a transition that was. By finding the right cue through my body but not allowing Wesley to fall into the transition, we maintained our forward energy down into the walk. It was incredible.

Next was adding a third gait to these transition exercises - the lope. Forward but not rushed was the goal in the upward transition into it, and it was very nice. As we loped along, Sarah wanted me to stay aware of Wesley's neck, moreso the spinal column of it. While I was maintaining consistent connection through the wall of my outside rein, Wesley's eye was just tipped off of center allowing his inside shoulder to fall into the inside, and subsequently, lose the hind end. Sarah asked for a "twirl" of the neck, not a dramatic tip to the inside, but just a reminder, a request really, to come to straight and "twirl" that spine of the neck to straight if not slightly tipped. If I demanded the twirl of the neck, those muscles I was specifically pinpointing would lock down and Wesley would never come back to straight and engage his hind. It was a "pretty please would you use those muscles" request, and it worked. It was extremely subtle in the visual change in his neck, but I felt the difference as Wesley came back onto his hind end and moved straight.

Working with our transitions again, we went forward into the trot, and when Wesley was quick and disconnected after a few strides, Sarah suggested trot and turning, trot and turning left and right to loosen his shoulders and unlock the base of his neck that he was now bracing. She emphasized that it was the quality of the movement that mattered, not speed in his steps. Trot and turn, trot and turn, left and right, right and left, and I got softer in my body directing Wesley from one direction to the other with my seatbones and only the smallest of requests from my reins. When da Weez finally lowered his head almost right to the ground and lifted his back more than I had ever felt from him before, our trot circles were relaxed and fluid and I went back onto the straight-of-way. Tempted to move back into the lope, instead I did the opposite and went forward into the walk, then the halt and back. That Western Riding pony parked his big tushy like he hadnt done before with me and stayed soft and in connection throughout the transitions. That was the time to get off.

What had I taken away when I climbed aboard my own horse three hours later? Forward into transitions, a twirl of the neck when needed, and staying consistent in my contact through all different transitions. I also remembered to utilize the trot and turning when needed after my horse was rushed and locked at the base of the neck after some lope work. Remembering to come off "pattern" when needed and get my horse back to soft, fluid, and engaged before resuming is a concept I needed to hear again as I know I can get stuck in an exercise. I was not perfect by any means, but we had some great work, and more homework to work on as well. Forward into transitions, finding them through my body and maintaining connection. Come off pattern.

A Very Tense Body

Wesley was hopping and agitated as we loped along the arena wall.

"Do you feel him popping you out of the tack like that?" Sarah asked me.

"...yeah."

"Relax your lower back, and your ankles! Think about the beach ball: hold it tight in your core, filling the space in your lower back...slow down the tempo."

Another lap and there was no progress. What was going on?

"Something in your body is driving this horse nuts, Nina," Sarah firmly said, then finished, "Walk. Now."

I did as instructed. "Torso twists. You are all locked up and it is driving this horse bonkers."

Walk and turn, walk and turn. Sarah kept telling me to relax. Start in my ankles, up to my knees, and through my whole body. No matter how hard I tried it didnt seem to be what Sarah was looking for. "Drop your stirrups," she said, "stretch your toes down....move them in small circles, stop equitating them."

I had a really hard time with this. If I was thinking about my ankles, then Wesley wasnt directing where I needed him to be, so I would try and use my leg to keep him forward, or off the outside rein. But Sarah didnt want to see that; "if you need to get impulsion, cluck and move him forward with your body, no leg."

Now how in the heck was I supposed to get him forward without leg? I have always ridden a horse with leg. Was I to expect that Wesley would maintain impulsion from voice alone? When I tried Sarah's way, wouldntyaknow, Wesley maintained forward.

"This looks nice, Nina. Now keep it and, when your ready, go into the trot." The trot was hard as well. I could keep my ankles relaxed for only a mere second or so, and then I would go back to tight. There were so many things to be thinking about, and now we were at the trot, still trotting and turning, trotting and turning. There were moments where my ankles were free and relaxed, but they would rhythmically bump Wesley's sides, and I would instantly tighten them so they did not do that.

Sarah commented that the work looked much better, but I responded that I was uncomfortable with bumping Wesley inadvertently with my spurs. "I feel bad," I said. "Dont feel bad," was the response, "a horse knows when your leg is bumping, relaxed, and in rhythm, and when your spur is applied with purpose behind it." She then went on to add that her leg freely swings in rhythm with her horses, even the babies. They all learn that relaxed leg is nothing to concern about, but a spur with intention is one to abide by.

I tried to let this soak in, and allowed my legs to bump in pace with Wesley. Then it was time to focus on other areas of my body. Trotting and turning, trotting and turning, I was driving him every step of the way. If I wanted him to turn one way, I would rotate my body into the turn first and actually stiffen that side. I needed to be following the movement of the turn, not forcing it. My hand would gently guide his nose one direction and my body held the direction of the other for just a split second before his body would move the new direction. As Sarah put it, there is a slight moment where his head is turned, but not his body. Follow the body not the head.

Sarah reminded me that this work was not a forceful work. It was work that allowed the horse to free up in the front end and loose any tightness. I needed to allow the body to move, particularly the spine. My tenseness was inhibiting free motion on the spine, particularly scaring Wesley especially when we had been loping. I immediately thought to Milo, and the last couple rides I had on him where I forced him around in the work. Guilt ran through me. This was most certainly why we were having problems last week and I felt I needed a lesson with him ASAP. Again, the problem was coming from me, not my horse. It was a humbling moment.

"When you are ready, and Wesley is balanced in the outside rein with a slight tip of the nose to the inside, as for the lope." The first attempt yielded no departure, as I did not actually have him on the outside rein. I also tensed in my legs and ankles as I tried to wrap my leg around him for the cue. That clearly did not work. So this time when he was actually on the outside rein, I just barely let my leg fall back and smooched for the lope. Wesley stepped right into it, but was a little rushed and frantic. At the lope, there was no way I could maintain everything and still try and rotate my ankle. It just wasnt happening. But then Sarah had me try the strangest thing.

She told me to point my toes straight out away from the tack a foot or so, then lift my knees.

"What? I dont understand what I'm supposed to be doing," I said, as we loped past and I flopped around like a fish.

"Just raise your knees up towards your shoulders away from the tack."

Sheesh, easier said than done. What I seemed to manage to do only resulted in a huge amount of tension on the top of my feet as I tried to hold my knees up while loping on a horse. I voiced the tension I was feeling. "Keep your ankles relaxed," was the response. Wtf? This was an instant reaction to having to hold my knees up. Well, apparently I was still not doing it correctly. My knees needed to not only come up from the saddle, but away from the saddle.

I flopped my knees to the right position but there was no way in hell that I could hold it. "There you go," Sarah said. That was what you wanted??? That crazy spasmic fish flopping? She said that the goal was to relax my hamstring muscle.

But wouldn't you know, when my hamstring was relaxed, when my legs were flopping and bumping Wesley in rhythm, when I was strong in my core and holding Wesley with the outside rein, Wesley loped a beautiful circle, in his bad direction.

"Now, I want you to think about what happened here," Sarah said. And the lesson was over.

Muscle Memory

Poor Wesley was a bit stiff and sore when we pulled him out of his stall yesterday morning. I found out that the big handsome boy suffers from navicular and today his hind feet were bothering him. Sarah warmed him up on the ground first, getting him to step out laterally and engage his front end. It took a little time, but soon Wesley discovered again that he can use his hind end. He wasnt lame or off, so Sarah let me have my lesson on him still. What an experience that was.

Typically, when I get to ride Wesley, we are working on me and Wesley is teaching the rider. Yesterday, however, it was refreshing to be on the other side of the spectrum, the side that Sarah is usually at, getting the horse back to straight and fluid where he needs to be. I learned a valuable lesson that some rides we get a lot of "work" done, but other rides we need to focus on getting our horse back to that optimum level. This, Sarah said, was why she had me doing this on Wesley. Because of the last horse show. And because I needed a lesson in riding behind the flying lead changes. I needed to be shown how to work the horse, in his off days, through his body and back to prime working condition.

It was a great lesson. Sarah reminded me to keep my ankles relaxed, stretch tall, and hold the beach ball in my stomach. She further got me to "melt" into the motion of the horse and really feel when he was fishtailing, pushing his shoulder out, or generally not being straight. There were some fantastic moments. And after the ride I exclaimed that "I had ridden without a diaper! There is hope!"

A few hours and a couple clean pastures later, and it was time to try this out on my horse. Milo had just had three days off and I knew we were not going to be at that "optimum level" to get a whole lot of "work" done. I had to be receptive to the subtlies that my horse was providing to me, and respond to him accordingly.

However, it seemed, as soon as I sat astride my own horse, my holding patterns came flying back at me full speed. I had an incredibly difficult time relaxing my legs and finding that perfect "sweet spot" I miraculously found on Wesley earlier (I have a hard time keeping my leg straight below me and slightly behind the rear cinch. But on Wesley I discovered how to keep my ankles relaxed and keep my leg where it is supposed to be). Rather, I had a hard time of it keeping my leg further back in my own saddle and my own horse than on Wesley. It was frustrating. My horse was also a bit confused by my efforts to hold my legs in a somewhat different location.

We worked on some of the same exercises I had done with Wesley earlier, and I was shocked and dismayed to find how crooked and drifting my horse is. Is it because I came from moments of true straight on Wesley that I could now see and feel the crookedness in my own horse? I also realized that I was throwing away my reins for Milo and not picking up a contact on him as I so readily was able to do with Weez. What's the deal?

I got about two thirds of the way through the ride before things finally started to click. I was able to find the sweet spot for my leg and maintain relaxation in my ankles. I could have a steady contact on the reins without fear that I was holding my horse back or over using the rein. There was one stretch on the rail where my horse was locked onto straight, and I could feel it. We finally got a lope that was not scrambled and didnt feel like two guys in a horse suit, as all the lope work prior had felt.

Amazing.

If I could just find a way to stop those holding patterns and muscle memory in my own saddle and on my own horse, things just fall into place. Always more to be aware of.

Finally Making Some Sense

I finished cleaning Sarah's stalls, and the fact that it was noon and I had only consumed coffee for the day was starting to get to me. I had the spins and needed water. I decided to watch her ride Jackson, and decide afterwards if I felt up to taking a lesson on Wesley. I watched her do her thing, and the half hour sit in the shade with a cool breeze helped get the oxygen back to my brain, and I was excited and ready to ride Wesley. I remembered that this is the feeling I'm supposed to have when preparing to ride. Not what I had been experiencing lately, but I felt like my mojo was coming back. Yay!

I wasnt sure what was going to be in store for the lesson. I was sure Sarah would find some magical key to my problems, as usual, but I also felt there was going to be some harsh words about my riding. Things had been feeling so wrong lately I was a little unsure about what was to come.

I started out on Wesley just walking and torso twisting. Soon, Sarah recommended stretching my back by reaching from hand to opposite toe. After a few, she told me to allow a total stretch in my back, so my head could face down as well. Weazle wasnt going to go anywhere, so not seeing where we were going for a few moments was ok. I got a few well needed stretches, and as I came back up, I felt just a bit more centered in my seat. I commented that I felt like I was teetering off to the left side, as I had been feeling when riding Milo as well. She watched me straight on and said that no, I looked centered. I figured that was the deal and that all the crookedness in my body just made center feel different and weird. Sarah recommended that if I start really feeling "off" to go back to torso twisting and not allow myself to get "locked" or "stuck" in one position. A recommendation she has been saying to me for as long as I have been working with her. And yet, I always need to hear it.

Again with the torso twisting, and Sarah had me go into the trot. Again I was not focusing on my hands, as I had been trying to retrain myself on for the last week or so, and Wesley certainly wasnt collected, rounded, or engaged. Sarah told me to relax my ankles and stop "equitating". Huh?

It took a bit of concentration to "release my ankles". Then she said I needed to allow my ankles to "flop" in tune with stride. I simply just needed to not worry about having a pretty leg. But....thats what I've been told to do for thirteen years! But I obliged, and after a few moments I was riding from my seat. Suddenly, Wesley dropped his head and raised his back and I commented to Sarah that without balancing off my stirrups, I now had to rely on my core and I could instantly feel my abs engage. The engagement from my body and relaxation in my legs and back allowed Wesley to engage himself and move properly. It was a definite "aha" moment.

I let my body move with him, and we snake trailed for a little bit. There was a moment when I truly felt Wesley's hip engagement, just for a moment, and Sarah commented that that was great and what I was wanting to feel and work towards. I also noted that that was probably the first time ever that I had honestly felt engagement from the hip. Like, actually felt it in my seat. Sarah could only laugh and say that that was good, but I locked that feeling into my mind. I had never felt that engagement before.

We moved into the lope and Sarah reminded me that she wanted to see me really get into my seat and relax my ankles. Immediately I wanted to fall into my "equitation" ankles, but remembered to relax. My core engaged, and Wesley loped beautifully, head down, back up, hip engaged, and with little to no rein except for guidance where needed. It was really cool, and in fact, was so easy. Who knew that being soft and relaxed, but still engaged, was the golden ticket?

Sarah wanted me to counter canter Wesley a bit and really kick his hip out in the counter canter. Counter canter work on the left lead (traveling to the right, counter canter remember, so on my right (heavy) seat bone) felt great. Some reminders from Sarah to keep his nose to the inside and really get the hip out was warranted, and there were some nice moments of lateral reach from the hip and the shoulder, and even some nice straight back to the canter circle. We got a lead change in easily, and worked the other counter canter lead. We had some issues.

Wesley was very upset wanting to change leads and not at all reaching the hind end out. Sarah reminded me that this horse can counter canter all day long, the issue was coming in my body. I had too much inside rein pressure and she reminded me that I cannot force what Im looking for, I have to set him up properly and allow it to happen. As long as I am where I should be. She sort of left it at that for me to figure out. Still with too much hand and no lateral hip, I knew it was coming from my lack of left seat bone. I went down to the trot and tried to find it there. Aha, I had locked into a position again and tightened my ankles. I softened my back, softened my ankles, and allowed myself to find my seat bone, not force it. Suddenly, Wesley moved out laterally. He dropped his head, lifted his back, and moved out as I asked. Again, its just staying soft and engaged.

Back to the lope (we actually got a few strides of real western pleasure loping, which Sarah greatly complemented on) and onto the counter canter right lead. I found my left seat bone much better and we had some nice counter canter work.

Then, somewhere thrown in there, Sarah commented about my outside leg being at "neutral" when loping. It needed to be back in C when we were loping. Wait, what? She told me to put my leg back about two inches behind the rear cinch (but remember, that the rear cinches on the Dave saddles and the way she fits the saddles has the cinch much closer to the front - only like an inch away in fact) and I should have my outside leg back and my inside at neutral. I changed my leg position, and AHA again - suddenly it wasnt so hard to find my left seat bone. With my leg further back, it just naturally falls into place.

Sarah further explained this benefit for a lead change. The outside leg basically is always there to keep the horse in the lope. Then say we come into the center in a reining pattern, and for a moment, it comes to neutral like the inside leg asking for straight between the two circles. Then the new outside goes back and the new inside opens up for the new lead. This totally makes sense with the lead change "steps" she had been telling me before as well: arced, straight, new bend, hip change into new lead. But the legs are much more active that I previously gave credit for. This seems like some elementary knowledge I somehow have been missing out on.

With my legs where they should be, my ankles soft, my back soft, and an engaged core, I loped the rail for a few laps and everything was perfect. Wesley moved beautifully, and we were in sync. I stopped him square and round. Everything felt great. As I cooled him out, I tried for a few turnaround and suddenly they were far easier too. It seemed I finally had all the right basic buttons for this horse and it was by far the best ride I had ever had on him. We finally spoke the same language, and its as if da Weez sighed a relief that this lady could finally ride him correctly.

I love the feeling I get after a lesson with Sarah: confidence! And a sudden awareness and understanding. I couldnt wait to try this out with Milo.

Some Reminders from Wesley and Sarah

Because of the canceled lesson on Saturday, today I was to take a lesson on Wesley instead. Which both Sarah and I thought would be a good situation anyways because I really needed (need) more help on allowing my body to make the lead change. As I tacked him up, reaching for the familiar snaffle bit I had been riding him in previously, Sarah instead had be put in a correctional curb bit and commented that we would be working one-handed. And so the fun shall begin.

I crawled aboard the tall and handsome Wesley and warmed him up walking him and torso twisting. Something felt a bit different in my body, but I couldnt pin point what. True to her intuitive self and sharp eye, it didnt take long until we were trotting and Sarah told me to find that tension in my body and release it. She commented "it could be your lower back..." and as soon as she said that, I knew thats where the tension was, and suddenly a light bulb went off as I remembered back to my previous rides recently on Milo. I had been holding tension in my lower back when riding one handed. Could this be how I have learned to ride one-handed, when I was on the drill team and balanced off of my hands?

It didnt take long as we worked in the lesson and Sarah commented more than once that I was balancing off of the reins and I had to find my seat and my legs. She reminded be that there doesnt need to be contact in a shank bit, and instead of relying on a half halt for instance, we need to find it in our bodies and ride more through leg and seat. She told me for a second time that I am "always riding and in complete control", I need to "let the horse make the mistake and then correct it or else they will never learn.". I even have that on recording from two lessons ago, but I really could feel what she was saying in my one handed riding. Sarah had us work at the lope the majority of the lesson, and of course, the lead changes.

Things just didnt feel like they were going so well in many ways. I couldnt seem to find it in my body to lift Wesley's back and engage his hind, and wanted to hang off of the bridle. If I wasnt hanging, then I was releasing too soon. As we worked down the center line and Sarah repeatedly told me with each pass to find straight, not let Wesley drop his shoulder out, dont let him fishtail, lift him into the bridle before nit-picking. And our lead changes werent that great. I was feeling a real lack of confidence wondering to myself how if I couldnt get a good lead change on this lead changing machine, how on earth could I do this on my own horse? I was starting to feel defeated and then Sarah made it much more clear.

Although she had been telling me to find the new bend with my body and then ask for the change, I just wasnt getting it. Then she finally told me to use my leg to do so. As we loped on the left lead down the center line to prepare for a change, I was to move him laterally just slightly from my right leg to get the bend, then change my hips for the change, opening up my new inside leg, shapping my legs' positions. Finally, the change felt clean and right. I rode him around a little longer and thought about how it happened. Straight, balanced, leg before seat. All in conjuction however. I discovered the difference wasnt just my realization of more leg and less hand, but that I just did it. I didnt over think every individual cue, I just let it happen. Sarah talked to me about what I was understanding but I just couldnt seem to make words of it. I just had to think about what happened.

Although I felt some defeat and lowered self esteem, Sarah encouraged me that things are coming along. Poor Sarah can't make me find it in my body, but she can help support me to discover it on my own. So how would this relate to Milo?

Another Productive Lesson With Wesley

And again, it always come from me.

Monday we worked on helping me find my own body. I still continue to want to balance off of my right seat bone, and collapse my right side. But Sarah makes me ride correctly, and I sure get a workout afterwards. The lesson consisted of loping almost in it's entirety - but dont feel too bad for Mr Wesley who is fit as can be, and we really didnt have a super long lesson.

One of the big things, again, was an emphasis on stabilizing my core, but also my back. I get into a habit of "pumping" with my seat and body to compensate for not stabilizing myself. So staying straight through my body and strong in my core makes me stop pumping my seat. As Sarah said from the ground, my belt buckle shouldnt be swinging every which way, you should be able to read it as I go by, haha. Finally after hearing Sarah say that, I started to tune into my body some more and stabilize myself, and boy after a few rounds I started to get really tired.

Soon, Sarah make me let out my reins because as we were working on lead changes, she wanted me to find the change from my body and not my hands. I was able to get the lead changes from Wesley, but they were front to back. Not front, go a few strides, then back, but together, just not in the perfect order. This, we soon seemed to be able to discover, was from my inability to properly center my seat bones. While my body may be turning into a direction, but hips were not following suit (mostly from the right to left, as I want to ride with right hip forward). Good Wesley was trying for me but I was not asking correctly, so that is how he changed his leads.

We decided to work on my body for spinning, and it was even more apparent my lack of hip change. I was able to get a nice easy turnaround to the left, as it is so natural to have the right hip forward. Turning to the right was much more difficult because I wasnt truly rotating my hips into that direction, so I started fighting with my hands which, of course, did nothing productive. Sarah addressed this issue clearly, and I tried again really focusing on my body. It took a lot of concentration, but I was able to change my hip slightly and find the left seat bone, then stop him with the outside rein. And wouldnt you know, Wesley turned right around easy as pie.

She suggested that I start running. This will be beneficial three-fold. I can find a rhythm in my footfalls and get in tune with my body. I can concentrate on running from my hip and opening up the hip joint, instead of just running with my leg. This will also allow me to engage my core as I run. Sarah suggested developing a breathing pattern for this as well when engaging the core and swinging from the hip. She said that this is the next step for improving my riding by finding more physical fitness and finding my body. I really am looking forward to it as it is something I have been wanting to incorporate into my habits, and its something I know I should be doing as well. I have the time and the drive to do it now, and so it will begin!

Meet Wesley

Memorial Day Weekend was great in all respects. Boyfriend got to go trout fishing Saturday, we then went to visit a friend at her new apartment which was a blast. Sunday was spent entirely outside with Boyfriend's Dad's tractor brought out to help burn down more of the brush pile - there was a constant billow of smoke in the air all day long. Monday I had lots of things planned so I left Boyfriend at home to keep working the property with the tractor, and I headed out at 8:30. I arrived at Sarah's about an hour later, with Melissa there sporting her new tattoo (she was actually there to ride Sarah's new pony, Karma), Sarah (with a kitten stuffed in her bra), and one of her students ready for her lesson. After a chat, we all bucked up the energy to get to work. Cleaning was uneventful, except for the exceptional talents of one grey horse who managed, with perfection, to urinate in his feeder.

Chores done, I begged for some water from Sarah, and ate the apple I brought. I decided that with no Milo around, Wesley would be a suitable receiver of the apple core. Especially since I was to ride him today. After a breather for a little while (Sarah works her cleaners hard! Two hours non-stop), we then took Wesley into the cross ties and saddled him up. On a downward slope, I remembered how big the horse is, fumbling just a moment with the saddle mustering the effort to swing it onto his back. Sarah is a good couple inches taller than me, so her large horses suit her stature. I'm sure her saddle-swinging abilities are far superior than mine, especially considering she lifts them multiple times a day as opposed to my once on my 15.3 hand horse.

Saddle and bridle on, Sarah wanted to longe Mr Wesley, who had Sunday off. She says this is the type of horse who should be worked twice a day daily, and I believe it. He's not bad, just very active and with a busy mind, she says A.D.D., but somehow to me that seems derogatory so I'll just say he has an active mind. The goofies worked out, she handed the reins to me and I mounted, with the mounting block for assistance.

The lesson was great, but instead of the minute-by-minute details, I'll instead describe the ideas that were further solidified for me, because they can always be translated to Milo. We worked on the lope serpentine exercise that I sheepishly admit I have not worked on in months with Milo. It was a great lesson to be reminded of its importance on Wesley. Wesley is a lead changing machine, who I had to stay diligent in keeping in on the lead I asked for throughout the serpentine. Finally, I managed to keep it and get straight work, including his hip which likes to float out to protect his hocks. Another good reminder to ride from the rear and always know where every part of the horse's body is at.

Another sharp reminder was the importance of where my hips are, and to maintain a soft or neutral position, never letting myself lock into one position. This happened once, maybe twice, and it was always evident that Wesley locked up too, so Sarah would direct me to go back onto a circle and torso twist until his back and mine freed up again. He is so sensitive to body placement, being as that is how Sarah always rides him, that he is a great reminder of my own body and how important it is to be in control of my own.

This lead into the importance of engaging a strong core, so Wesley can do likewise. We loped a while in my lesson and I had to maintain a stabilized core throughout - it sure is a workout! But a good reminder that because of it's difficulty, I havent been consistent with it in my riding of Milo. Had I been, it shouldnt have been so noticeable when on Wesley. And as an added bonus, when my core was stabilized, Sarah said my lower back was beautiful, soft and not tight. So making sure I'm working my core is even more important to maintaining softness through my lower back, a place I hold a lot of tension.

Finally, Wesley is similar to Milo in that he would rather not stay on the right rein for outside support, and instead likes to challenge me to ride off of the left rein, a terrible habit of mine anyways. But when I do that it is shockingly evident that he is not on the correct aid, and I get absolutely no bend in his body. Another good reminder to ride the outside rein, and only correct with the inside rein, not ride off that one.

Wesley was a tired boy by the end of the lesson, with foamy sweat and all. But I diligently groomed until he was dry and clean again, and back into the stall, and fresh water, he went. And since I think it's only right you all can meet "the other horse" I got a couple of crappy photos from my phone.

Where are my treats??

More on the rest of my Monday later.

Is it Ever NOT Going to Stem from Me?

Milo was alert as he stepped off the trailer and onto Sarah's property. His head swung around and I tied him up to the trailer. Sarah was outside and had been expecting us, this was the lesson I had earned by working on Monday for her. Boyfriend had been a sport and hauled me to her property early Saturday morning. I groomed Milo and tacked him up, then led him into the arena so Sarah could check him over, and assess the saddle's fit. I hadnt mentioned before, but a photo taken of Milo and I made me realize that my rear cinch was not being snug down as much as it should be. But the rear cinch was as tight as it would go - the problem is just that the cinch itself is too long. I had brought my other one (the one it didnt come with and there fore does not match - oh no!) so Sarah could determine if it would be better to use. Which she did, and we snugged it down to where it should be. I sent an e-mail to Dave at About the Horse, Inc, hoping I could get an exchange for the cinch he sent, but havent heard back yet.

Milo still looking around, Sarah handed me a Motivator stick and I did some groundwork with him. He was in his nylon halter and lead rope attached to the side, which would suffice for minimal groundwork exercises. The idea was to get Milo focused on me and utilizing his body. Within a few minutes, he was more present with me, still with pricked ears, but meeting the contact in the lead rope, engaging his rear for a few steps and bending his body while I asked him to reach up and out with his inside hind. He wasnt phenomenal in his attempts, but baby steps are accepted steps right now - just building strength in those hocks. Sarah commented how different he looks in comparison to when she first met him, exampling that he no longer looks like "two guys in a horse suit" and instead is beginning to look like a very nicely put together horse, whose posture has changed, saying what a pretty boy Milo-Triton was (Triton being another horse she had worked with who exhibited a mouthy demeanor much like Milo). The other direction, to the right,  I must admit, I am less coordinated, and after a few walking circles I asked Milo to trot which he refused. Continuing to motivate with the stick on the top of his rump, he finally let a huge buck out and went into the trot. Bad little Milo! But a few minutes of trot work yielded some nice engagement and lateral stepping, and my horse was feeling more present still, so I led him over to Sarah. We decided to put him back into the lifter bit (I had brought both it and the snaffle). I had felt that in my last ride he was really understanding to work off of the outside rein again, but I knew I was going to need the lift and support of the lifter bit for our canter work.

Not sure what Sarah was going to have me work on this lesson, I began walking him around her outdoor arena, torso twisting and letting him take in his surrounding, and the many new horse eyes watching in. Soon Sarah directed me to pick up my reins more, which I did, allowing Milo some support. She commented how well he was tracking up at the walk, and soon asked me to trot. He finally got over the other horses and hunkered down to some work; we did some basics, circling arcing, leg yielding, changing direction, and most importantly, regaining that shoulder control again. All was going well and soon Sarah said to put him into the lope, reminding me to load him onto the outside hock, rotate my hips and off into the lope. I did and the usual happened - Milo's head popped up into the transition and it took a few strides for him to re-balance. Sarah instructed me to do it again, this time taking up more rein, and directing me to not allow him to pop his head up, to really set him up to transition correctly. Again, we got a popped and bracing head, and Sarah said she wanted to put him in "wall reins" today. I thought about that as she went to retrieve them - I had never heard of wall reins before.

Sarah came out with a polyester rope with four snaps attached and she attached them to his girth rings on the outside of his shoulders, through the end of the bit and back over - they were looking more like draw reins. I think Sarah saw some concern on my face - everyone has heard the terrible things about those dreaded draw reins. Sarah explained that these were wall reins, meaning with the rein through the outside it creates a stronger block on the outside - more like increasing the outside wall pressure so he cant pop his head up and instead needs to rotate onto his hind end and lift his wither into the transition. She further explained this is not for a headset as draw reins are commonly used for, and not a use for everyday as they can create a dependency on them. They are to show Milo that he needs to stop looking for a evasion to the bit and needs to depart from the rear.

I tied my leather reins to my saddle horn, and walked around the arena a bit, letting Milo get used to the wall reins. He was figuring them out pretty well and Sarah asked me to gather them up and go up into a trot. I discovered how different they felt (naturally) but also how much more outside support they were giving to Milo who now was much more aware of his shoulders. Soon, Sarah instructed me to set him up for the lope departure again and this was to the right. We were departing from a walk, to really emphasize lifting his rear and departing correctly, not just falling into it as can be done at the trot. The first few attempts werent very good with Milo she said, looking for every attempt to not have to depart on his hind end.

Soon, it was evident that a lot of the forehand "popping" was because of me (as things always are) - I was rocking forward onto my pelvic bone, putting my weight onto my forehand and Milo therefore had to lift himself and me up off of it. Once this was realized, I attempted the next time to sit on my butt, but still support Milo with the reins. This time, Milo departed much better, so we changed directions. This side is much easier for Milo, whose inclination is to bend more easily in this direction. And by this I mean his whole body - while the other side he easily arcs his barrel and hip, he bulges out the shoulder thereby not bending his entire body as he does on this other side. After a few attempts, and I maintained my weight on my seat. and engaged my core, Milo departed beautifully with a lift at the wither similar to that I had felt when I had my lesson on Wesley. I loped Milo off straight for a little while then down to a walk giving him lots of praise and patting. I let out the reins and let him stretch himself out. This was important Sarah said because they can easily get tight in the wall reins, so a lot of transition from wall rein to stretch is imperative.

I gathered the reins up again and we tried it again the harder direction to the right. It took a few attempts again, but finally he departed ok, but although his head had remained down with his back up, and he departed from the rear, his wither didnt lift and he held some bracing on the bit. So we tried again, and he got a minimal wither lift the next attempt. Sarah said she wanted the wall reins off now and to try it with just the regular reins now. So we did, and I was reminded to pick up more rein, as is my usual problem. In my efforts to be "nice" I'm not supporting Milo as he needs it, and therefore making it harder on him to perform correctly. There will be a time where I can cue with a light rein, but now he needs the support of the rein and lifter bit to move correctly. And we have to get Milo out of his evasive pattern of popping his nose to the sky for the lope transition (which in part is due to my position).

So I asked again to the left, holding my outside rein soft but firm, and he departed nicely after the second attempt. Again, a short walk, then reverse and try the harder direction. As I needed to correct with the rein, Sarah noted I was allowing my hands' movement to tip my upper body forward. While I was trying to stay on my rear, my front end was crumpling forward, and even just a shoulder change, Sarah noted, is reflected to the horse. In fact, she said, when we "disappear" like that (no support in our own shoulders) it can scare the horse because we are no longer there for them, but suddenly engaging the bit. I realized after she said that that  was precisely what I was doing. So I tried again and got a better, not wither lifted, but better depart.

As we had arrived late, it now ran into the time slot for her next lesson, so Sarah left me to try it again on my own as she helped with the saddle fit of the next horse. I worked on it, and working on it, and soon discovered in myself that I was overworking it and Milo was getting dull and tired. So I worked on some basic walk to trot, nose in and hip out again to regain hip control (he had began to swing it in in the lope depart in an effort to not have to depart off of it). Finally, after some time I asked again and while it wasnt totally beautiful I felt a minimal effort of lift in his wither so I called that good - I wasnt going to get much better from a tired horse in his hard direction.

The next two riders came into the arena, one lesson going to be on Wesley. I pointed out to Boyfriend the horse that shares his name, and he later said how pretty he thought Wesley was. Maybe he was a little biased? Milo cooled down, I led him to the trailer and tied him up. Boyfriend went to fill his water bucket, and I found Sarah who was going to give me some Histocorbidyne, a recommended "immune-booster" from Dynamite. She recommended all competing horses be on it as it boosts their system during times of stress and exposure to other horses. The 25lb container from Dynamite is $170, something she new my unemployed self would not be able to afford. So she scooped a few helpings into a bucket for me and it would at least provide for Milo in the next week or two while this EHV-1 scare is in place. I thanked her profusely for it, and the lesson, and she thanked Boyfriend for taking me. I would see her again on Monday for work, but would probably receive that week's lesson on Wesley, as I can't expect Boyfriend to haul me every weekend, just hopefully every other weekend.

A Horse Named Wesley

What a productive and enlightening Friday yesterday was! Jam packed, but excellent. I ran through the pastures, cleaning up the increased load with an additional mare brought down below. Water troughs filling as I cleaned, I tried to cut down time being spent on the chores. I had stripped off Milo's blanket as soon as I arrived at the barn, letting him bask in the sunshine that was starting to loose intensity in it's rays. I knew he had probably been dying to feel it's warmth as it teased him with beauty all day long, as it teased me as well, sitting in my office desk, gazing out the window and waiting for the time to tick by.

I finished up my chores, and haltered Milo up, leading him quickly to the barn. I had t-minus one and one half hour to ride before my lesson would begin with Sarah at six. Wow, three times this week now I have felt the pressures of a time constraint - its not my favorite means by which to ride. However, I as confident I could get a good work period in before needing to drive the seven or so minutes to the barn Sarah gives lesson at off the Island (Bainbridge Island where Sarah's facility is, to you non-Washington savvy readers).

Milo was shedding in huge chunks - ripples of hair falling away at the slightest stroke from the curry comb, then replaced by the shedding blade. He naturally had to roll after the blanket was removed, making him a shedding and dusty mess. I got the bulk of shedding hair removed, and a quick wipe down for the dust and debris from my favorite grooming brush. I chucked the bareback pad over his back, fastened it down, and snatched my headstall and lifter bit. We headed down to the arena. T-minus 45 minutes now. I relaxed a little, knowing I still had ample time.

The outdoor arena was a popular choice today, given the nice weather and a haul in for a lesson with the secondary trainer. No matter, however, as not only is the arena large enough to accommodate everyone, but I also enjoy riding with this group, being friends of mine. The outdoor shares two fence-lines that also act as a pasture end to the horses that in-habitat a lessee's property on the facility grounds. Their three horses were turned out in that adjoining pasture, enjoying the sunshine as the rest of us where. They were, however, frisky as one of the boarders was lunging her fresh mare. Milo eyeballed them slightly, as they careened around the fence-lines, instigating play. I torso twisted back and forth, finding our soft spot together. Soon, Milo was ignoring the loping horses, and we were tuning into each other, back and forth along straight and turning serpentine lines.

The horses were soon put back in their farther pasture, allowing the other horses in the arena an opportunity to relax and get to work. I was having a ton of fun with Milo and figuring out more and more the benefits of the torso twisting. I even mentioned to the lunger the level of fun I was having, describing it as a dance, as it was. Milo engaged from the rear and when we were reliably engaging and working together, finding our rhythm, I moved him onto a circle, arcing, counter arcing, using my hips to rotate his hips in and out, arcing and counter arcing. He was being such a good boy, I moved him off the figure eights onto a few straight lines, then relaxed my back - he stopped up underneath himself nicely. A few nice 180  degree correct spins later, and I slid off of his back. Time was up now and I had only a brief period of time to groom him, stretch him, and put him back away. But I was very happy with the ride, as each time we connect more, and more, and I gain greater control over my body.

Milo tucked back into his blanket and deposited back into the pasture with Old Man Jakers, I loaded up into my truck and headed Sarah's way.

Upon arrival, she was finishing up with a young girl and her naughty, but cute, pony. Isn't that nice how ponies can be naughty but still adorable? Trouble is, they know it. Sarah said I could brush Wesley and get to know him a bit, so I did. He was unmistakable in the box stalls. I had met him briefly once before at Sarah's place, where he was throwing a minor temper tantrum on the lunge-line, fresh from a few days off due to snow and no power in one of our last winter storms.

I clipped a lead time to his leather halter and walked into his stall. I did not remember him being that big. Standing at close to 16.2 hands or higher, I was slightly intimidated as I stroked his head and patted his gleaming, sleek neck. But he looked kindly at me with a large liquid eye, and I took his stable sheet off of him, feeling better. I brushed his glossy coat, which only had some dust particles on it. Then Sarah came around the corner bringing his saddle, pads, and bridle. She tacked him up and we went into the arena.

Wesley was feeing full of it, with less-then-intimidating bucks on the close lunge-line. A big boy, and one with a personality, he was a little weak in the bucking department. Sarah got on him first, which I was totally OK with. She warmed him up, got him moving straight and did some lead changes on him. I watched her ride, distracted however by the last lesson student waiting for her mother. A nice kid, but she was sure talkative. What I did get to watch however, but a very responsive horse, and I could see the subtle torso twisting Sarah was doing with him, to calm and relax. I was waiting for the butterflies of nervousness to creep in, watching his attitude. But they surprisingly never came. I knew Wesley wasn't a bad horse, he was just feelin' it, and Sarah had him under control. She later said that he does not travel well in the trailer, and even needs to be brought to a show a day in advance to help put him back together.

She dismounted and it was my turn. I climbed aboard the lumbering fellow, and found my position in the saddle, also an About the Horse; a number one bar, and rough-out seat. It was comfortable, and made me eager for mine to come. Every time I ride in those saddles they put me in the best, most effective position, and they are just so darn comfortable!

I walked around a bit, figuring this horse out and finding our rhythm together. Sarah let me feel him out a few minutes before really starting instruction, which was helpful. For his size, he seemed to have a shorter, not necessarily choppy stride, but not as long as Milo's It probably is longer, however, due to his size, but I suppose what I was feeling was less than what I was anticipating because of the size of the big horse. I had to remember though, that he is a western riding horse, not an english one, which most likely equates his shorter stride than that of a same sized english geared horse.

We moved into a trot per Sarah's instruction, and she had me torso twist back and forth, encouraging me to slow down his pace and found ours together. Initially, I was what you could say, pounding in the saddle. I wasnt giving him an open space to come up underneath. My spur was asking for lift, but my body wasnt allowing it. Once addressed by Sarah though, I softened my seat, and he started lifting. Next, she wanted me to slow down still, to soften my back and bring him up more. I discovered one of the many aha moments that was to come. I found the incredible difference that can be made when I suggest a rhythm with my body. Wesley was jogging much too quickly, and I was basically playing catch up. Once I slowed down my body and relaxed, not riding in a somewhat frantic manner trying to keep up with him, he slowed down and came up underneath as well. Wow, I thought, and voiced my discovery for Sarah. It was incredible how I could manipulate our speed, and find our rhythm together simply by softening my body and slowing down my breathing.

I sort of accidentally put Wesley into the lope, but Sarah said it was OK and we then moved into the real heart of the lesson - freeing up my body at the lope. Instantly I tightened my lower back, but wasnt bracing - this horse is so slow and engages so well, it hard to get as tight as I do on Milo. With reminder to loosen my back from Sarah, and start some torso twists, I soon relaxed into this western riding horse's slow and steady pace. I was able to move my body freely in whatever direction needed or desired, at the lope. On a circle, Sarah had be put him together; arcing, but mostly counter arcing she said was best for him, and I was changing my torso direction as needed for him. She also said that I can counter twist my body for him, slowly go back to neutral, then twist the other direction, come back to neutral and twist back to the original position (this would later tie in with a later aha moment). Pushing his hip to the outside in a counter arc, then half halting on the outside rein, Wesley released his tightened shoulder and raised up about a solid two inches. OMG! I felt that for sure! It was super cool to say the least, and something I needed to feel and learn how to achieve true straightness all the way through the horse.

Now that he was well put together at the lope, Sarah sent me down the straight of ways to do some flying lead changes. The first few changes weren't very well, with Wesley changing on the front before the rear, mostly because he knew the change was coming and I hadn't set him up properly. I softened my back and got back into my torso twisting rhythm, and the next time I asked I made sure to rotate my hips in conjunction with my leg cue. We changed leads back and forth, back and forth down the long side of the arena, changing every three strides or so. It felt very cool, but wasn't as near good as when I came back down the other arena wall and changed leads that direction. I finally had found a rhythm to the lead changes, which incorporated by hips, legs, and hands as I changed outside rein for each lead change. The very last one we executed was the very best, with lots of lift and in sync together. I also discovered that the lead changes, for Wesley at least, don't require an excessive amount of hip change. I kept envisioning his huge displacement of my hips for each lead change, but really its quite subtle and just corresponds with the leg and rein. Now for Milo to learn, initially I will have to make more obvious hip changes, but it was cool to see that that isn't necessary in the end product. Wesley was being such a good boy so we came down to a walk and let him walk out a bit on a loose rein.

I talked with Sarah and she asked what I was getting so far. Then she brought a whole new concept to me. As I was meandering around on Wesley as we chatted, I was still torso twisting as needed, but Sarah saw that I would let locked in one direction. For instance, I had wanted Wesley's hip to travel out in a counter arc, so I positioned my hips out as well. With no immediate response, I just held them there in a locked position, locking down Wesley as well. Sarah said that its not just the tools she is giving me that are important, but the way that I apply them. She put that well saying that riding is always moving and changing and we have to change for the horse as needed, never to hold one solid position. Instead, I needed to counter weight him because in that locked position he really couldn't balance properly. The hips, as I understood from the previous lesson on Milo, direct the horse's hip, but we need to be riding the entire horse, so if the hips are going one way and he aren't balancing for the shoulder as well, the shoulder can get forgotten. We need to always be accommodating for the ever changing needs of the horse at that time. This definitely made sense and I could see how I had been doing that when riding Milo as well.

So I started experimenting at that ambling walk moving my hips as needed for the big horse. On a counter arc, my hips would be out, but if I could feel his shoulder travel I came back to neutral, even torso twisting the other direction if needed, then coming back to the outside again. It was coming together, this new idea of really putting it all together, and it was great. I even noted that this would be quite effective in our turnarounds, or spins. Sarah agreed and had me put Wesley on a spin. Wesley is no reining horse, but as a western riding horse he executes perfect flying lead changes, and can turn and spin with precision, just not a whole lot of speed. But honestly, this horse is farther ahead in his spins than Milo is, going at the same speed were are at right now but with a hitch - his hocks are strong enough so he can do a few rotations around on the inside leg, not just a few steps as Milo is right now. Which is perfectly fine however, as Wesley is older, more trained, and has strength in his hocks. Milo will get there.

So on the spin, I pushed his hip over slightly (less exaggerated then with Milo right now), then half halted with the outside rein and bumped with the outside leg as well. Wesley gave nice spins, and the only reminder needed from Sarah was to sit up straighter and a little back. You could say I had been "hunting" that spin, looking in the direction of travel, yes, but kind of hunched and forward anticipating the direction of movement. Once I sat straighter though and really turned my hips into the direction of travel, Wesley's shoulder was freed up and he speed up a little more. Aha, this can be applied directly to Milo for sure.

I asked a few silly questions, although really no questions are stupid. One being that I noticed Wesley holds his head much like Milo does, seemingly bracing against my left rein and tipping his head towards the right. I thought this would be too much of a stretch to imagine both horses coincidentally doing that, and asked if it was coming from me. Which of course it was. Because I ride so consistently off of my left rein, even when I dont mean to, it gets the horses bracing against that rein. I still need to continue to find my right rein and stop balancing off of the left. Its a hard process for me, but being aware of the problem helps me try and correct it at least. I then asked if there is ever a proper time to ride off of both reins, as we are always seeming to change the rein we ride off of for the outside rein. Sarah said yes, at times. In reining for instance, those brief loping strides in the center of the two circles could call for riding both reins as we prepare for the lead change. Only a few steps, because then we switch outside rein and go into the lead change. This made sense to me, and I understood how we never really need to ride both, which was good for me to understand because many times when Im just cooling down or even warming up Milo, I ride off of both.

I had gotten exactly what I needed from this lesson. I am capable of freeing my body at the lope. I saw the true changes in the horse when I would make subtle changes in my own body inclusive of not only finding out pace together and slowing him down as we did early on in the lesson, but the minor hip change needed for a lead change. I also discovered a valuable concept of riding the complete horse, and ever changing my body to suit his needs at the time, never putting myself into a locked hip position. All very valuable lessons for me to feel, hear, and discover.

I pulled the tack off of Wesley at the trailer, brushed him, and put his blanket back on, leaving him in the box stall where I originally found him. I was very happy to have been given the opportunity from Sarah to ride her high quality horse. Never before had I ridden a horse of such high caliber. Thats not to say that Milo isn't a great horse, he is, but he does not have the same quality and training time as Wesley does. Milo can get there, I believe, but he wont ever be a lead changing machine as Wesley is, which is OK, Milo wasn't built for that. But we can give some good lead changes in a reining pattern, thats a conceivable goal for us. I'm looking forward to finding the rhythm with Milo in our loping, now that I know my body is capable.