Having to not be such a nice guy

That is my main focus right now with Gracie.  I am just too damn nice to the mare.  She is such the horse that if you give them an inch they take a mile.  It is a slow thing, so slow you dont even notice.  Till one day things just dont work anymore.  So this last week has been about me sitting up and riding.

Mainly I go around and am a bit too open with myself.  I was told I looked like I didnt want to offend her and was trying to baby her.  And I was I am sure.  I can get her to move and all, but I dont get her to really work.  There is no engagement of her hinny and that back never really gets up under me.
I have let that mare start slowing laying on my hands and not being truely on the bit.  She looks it but she feels like a ton of bricks in my hands.  Throw those reins away and she would just land on her nose.

This all I am positive is related to why the canter was once again an issue.  I will say the first time was the EPM, but that is long gone.  Now it is just her stupid rider.  She is the kinda girl that if she isnt through the canter is not possible.  Ask and all you get is that giant extended trot she is so good at because it is all she can give you.  So to get a canter depart you have to sit her on her ass and make her work. 

So this last week I have done two things to make this easier on us both. 

One- Started with a lunge line lesson because I know my position is related to shit most of the time. 
Laura Wolfe came out and did a great job of pointing out my many faults.  Mainly I seem to pinch with my knees.  How can I have an active working seat if it isnt really in the saddle?  Well I cant and Gracie must be ridden off seat and leg.  She will kill anyone if they get into using their hands too much.
So lots of work minus stirrups and learning to let go with my knees.  I have worked most of my rides alone the same way without stirrups.  Sure my abs are on fire but it is a good thing.
I know that my position inhibits Gracie alot of the time.  As Cathy Fox and Jim Koford have both told me she is a mirror and will show all my mistakes.  And lordy lordy isnt that the truth.

Gracie showing that sometimes I do ride correctly.

Two-  Help Gracie be able to help me in the canter work.  So after each ride I have been putting her on the lunge with sidereins.  Doing lots of trot/canter/trot transitions to help her gain the strength she needs to balance herself better.  So we do equal amounts of work in both directions.  I had also stopped working the canter under saddle for a week to just let her focus on the lunge work.  Today was the first day I tried it under saddle again..more on that later.

So how are the results? 

I think good.  We will see what Cathy thinks this weekend as we are riding with her in a two-days clinic at our barn.  Then I will know if I am doing better or if I am still doing in circles with the same issues.

But really I feel like she is respecting me more and her work ethic increases with her respect for you. 

Today was a good ride.  Within 5 minutes she agreed to step up and accept the contact and go forward.  I was turning with my outside rein/leg and she was bending evenly in both directions.

After the warmup I worked a bit without stirrups.  Started with shoulder-ins and haunches-in at the walk.  There are not good yet but she has the idea.  And for a mare who couldnt use her right hind well at all 6 months ago she is doing great with her stepping under. 

Then some sitting trot work for me.  Had her going on serpentines, diagnols, and small circles.  Went well, but I could tell my muscles were a bit fatigued from the sudden correct use.  I can tell now the difference between me sititng in the saddle and gripping with my knees.

Then I got it in my head to see about the canter.  She wasnt being all sneeky about getting out of the contact so I thought it might go well.  And it did.  She went into both leads 2-3 times each as soon as I asked.  I felt more secure asking her too.  She didnt pop her head too bad, and she didnt race around like an idiot.  I kept the canter brief..no more than a 1/2 circle before transitioning down to ask again. 

After that I praised her big time and went to something she LOVES to do.  Lengthen her trot.

BUT I had a stipulation.  She was to do it across the diagnol only after she straighted and balanced herself.

Then I would let her.  Took her a few tries to get that point but when she got it she really got it. 

And with that outside rein I had sure she would come back in her trot before we hit the corner. 

Can I say it is amazing what one can do if they are truely on that outside rein and really connected over their back???

Who knew!!

So a few more days and Cathy will be here.  I hope she is as pleased as I am.