Flex in, flex out…

 

Today we were practising our cantering ~ and I was impressed with Copper; he actually decided to listen!  We started off the session quite well, he softened and came onto the bit with a minimum amount of fussing so that was really good.

He also behaving really well on the right rein, and we even manage to get a few neat transitions from walk to trot without him tossing his head in the air.  Well, that is until we went on the left rein.  I really have no idea what is up with this; his left side has always been the best side for trot work {he tends to resist more on the right as it’s his stronger side} but now it’s a battle to get him working on the left rein in frame.   He’s swapped sides and is not at all hesitant about letting me know about it! : S

Anyway, tussling with him, which involved walk, walk, walk, sit back, apply seat, *toss* sit back and rein him in, lather, rinse and repeat….  Goodness knows how many times.  Sometimes we go around in so many circles I get dizzy!  It took a while but we were finally into our cantering work ~ right rein first, flex in, flex out, flex in, flex out ~ soften and yes!  He was working in a round frame, elevated and best of all?  Even tempo and SLOWLY…  Yay!  The left side wasn’t as pretty but we still got a few good strides together, so we will get there.

Okay canter work out of the way; it was time to prep for our competition on the 25th.  We are doing a class of jumping and dressage.  Both are so low level that it’s embarrassing to admit it, but we all gotta start somewhere right??! => . <=

Hmm, let’s see if I can remember the test now. 

Enter A; medium walk, working trot at X.  At C track left.  Working trot CHEKA; 20m circle on the left rein.  AF working trot, F medium walk.  BX 10m half circle, XE 10m half circle, E working trot.  EHCMBFA working trot, A 20m circle on the right rein.  AK working trot, K medium walk.  E turn right, B turn left, M working trot.  MCHEKA working trot, A working trot down centre line.  Medium walk before X, X halt, immobility, salute. 

10 points to anyone who guess the test as Prep 2. Told ya it was embarrassing.  : D 

Things to work on:

~ Copper’s walk/trot transition, on a straight line.  It’s shocking! 

~ Me; I’ve got to remember that the last line after working trot at M ends with half a 10m circle at A.  I keep forgetting to prepare Copper and then we over~shoot the centre line.  And I would really like to get these moves absolutely precise to make up for what ever silly head tossing Copper might do on the day!

I might as well confess that the last time I did this test we came in dead last out of a class of goodness knows how many, so I really want to get this right and do better!

See ya!

bonita

P.S. ~ Yeah, the picture has nothing to do with my post, but I couldn’t resist.  How cute is the little puppy!?  > w <