Kate & Pro (lesson) - Bridging and bridges

I need to buy a digital recorder, and make Gayle hold it during lessons so I can type out the whole transcription after (or post the audio file!). I had so many epiphanies today that it just makes me frustrated that I'll never be able to remember EVERYTHING she said once I sit down to type this out.

Anyway, here's the short version - he was SUPER today. Very focused on me, which is what I care most about, but he also made some great improvements and epiphanies himself. At one point, Julia walked down into the arena to get her horse and Pro didn't even notice her until she was just a few yards away. Neither did I (we were deep in focus) but I was impressed with him being so focused.

We spent a lot of time at the walk at the start of our lesson. Gayle reminded to pick up my hands, pick up my hands. And then we started playing with my position. We talked about how the lower leg is not intended to squeeze/squish him but to be held slightly off his sides. (My homework is to watch videos of the recent Olympics and focus just on their lower legs!!!). I gently and oh-so-subtly removed my lower legs from his sides and as I turned to ask Gayle a question she laughed and pointed at Pro - he suddenly went "foomph!"...he puffed up!!! His back rose up, his ribcage expanded, and his topline extended. It was SO neat!! I also discovered that when my legs are in the proper position, I *can't* collapse my midsection. The legs...fix the upper body!!! WOW! Gayle said that's why she doesn't fuss over my upper body - she corrects my legs/seat and the rest will take care of itself, for the most part.

We also worked on getting back to the good old outside rein and it's new job as my best friend. Turning only with the outside rein. Imagining how the reins are connected not to my hands...but to my elbows. Ahhh! :) Once I started only turning with the outside rein, Pro at first started to counterbend but eventually softened up. Turn with the outside aids, "catch" with the inside leg to re-establish a gentle bend.

Then...and here's where the lesson got REALLY cool...Gayle had me bridge my reins. Which I'd heard about, but never actually tried. WOW. Once bridged, I was totally unable to give in to my inside-rein-temptation. My hands were stuck at the correct position. It was like having Gayle's hands on mine, telling them where to go. Pro puffed up even more and got ALL inward focused (Gayle says he's getting all introspective) and concentrating. We moved to the trot, which was tricky, but it worked. I continued using my gentle-posting (allllmost sitting all the way down but then rising up again). She had me focus JUST on his back at the trot. Not his head, not forwardness, just his back. She did say that when he gets very introspective and contemplative with these new "learn how to soften your back" concepts, that the forwardness will go away. "A correct horse becomes a push horse, where you need to PUSH them forward"! So I let him figure it out while I focused on his back. Even with the reins bridged I could give with my inside rein, but I couldn't cheat by using it to get him soft. The bridged reins really helped him to work his topline and start developing that "bridge" from neck to back. Hence, the title!

We did figure eights (right by the bunny tree, didn't blink an eye) and circles, and even some canter transitions. Which was adorable...he was SO into himself at that point and when I sat the trot and asked him to canter he paused as if to say, "Ummm...hang on...I know that means canter, but I don't know how to canter anymore now that my back is truly up!!" So we just laughed and regained the trot, tried again. He lurched into a canter that was somewhat= forehand-heavy but truly using his back.

I'm sure I missed a few epiphanies but still...great lesson. :) I'm so thrilled with his progress. He felt like a 14.3h warmblood today! Such a wonderful joy.

One random thing that I forget HOW we were talking about it...stirrups. And stirrup length. And why stirrups are mandatory. And Gayle said something brilliant - "Stirrups aren't a resting point...they're a reference point." Aha! Yes! (Well, for dressage. Jumping is different.) She kept telling me "toes up" instead of "heels down". I asked her why she phrased it that way and she said those things use different muscles. Putting your heels down means tightening your leg muscles which raises you ever so slightly up off the saddle. Pulling your toes up relaxes your leg and deepens you into the saddle. Try it - I could feel it!!!

Gayle also said that since we spent some time at the walk today, it gave me a lot of new ways to explore exercises that I can use in the future, especially for a day when I don't really feel like riding. She said that there's nothing wrong with spending a workout JUST walking and focusing on exercises at the walk. So that's encouragement, especially for rides that follow long days on campus. :P


**Oh and HUGELY exciting...for the past several issues my Arabian Horse Association magazine has been counting down the Top 100 Influences in the Arabian world. This most recent issue, Pro's dad was #14, almost in the top 10!! I was so proud, and they had adorable pictures.
Here he is, the great *Padron:

Alex - when are you coming to see my guy? ;) I think you said you'd be somewhat in this area this fall...