Kate & Pro are back!

Well, we've been riding for a little bit, but it has been a long break. I had a lesson a month ago and it was great! I'm posting some pictures here. Then Pro had some time off, then back to work last week before the rain, and now back to work again. I took a full month off from running and ran for the first time again last night and was surprised at how well I did - and I say that because I'm realizing that Pro is the same way. Physically, we're both a bit stiff after breaks (my legs huuuurt today). BUT mentally, we both feel much sharper. Interesting...I know everyone needs a break once in awhile, but maybe some people/horses need it more frequently?

The biggest thing that we've been working on is what we've been calling "Barbie arms". I can't remember who said it during the lesson (me or Andrea) but it's the concept that your wrists shouldn't move, your elbows shouldn't move, only move from your shoulders. Gayle gave some great imagery of her friend getting on a warmblood one day and he was strong...so the woman, instead of tweaking her outside rein with her wrist, "threw" her outside shoulder back and the horse sat right back. Barbie can't move her wrists or her elbows, she can only move her arms. It reduces tweaking, reduces irritating the horse, and just elicits a much better response. Gayle said someone once told her to imagine that the reins were attached to her elbows, not her hands. Having all of these images in my head is REALLY helping. Gone is the "sitting up straight" instruction - we think of "sliding our shoulderblades down our backs" - try it, it's neat!!! You sit "up" without forcing yourself into an awkward position.

However, I've found that my shoulders are MUCH weaker than my wrists...ouuuuch. So when I combine this all - sliding my shoulderblades down my back, lifting my legs gently off his sides (no clamping or gripping!) which tightens up my core and plugs my seatbones in, and using my shoulders to manipulate the reins, he really puffs up. However, my body feels like it's going through boot camp.

Lately though, I've been super pleased with Pro. Last night we worked just at the walk to get him all limbered up from a few rainy days off. He was good, but is trying his "you want a Western spin?" trick when I ask for a quarter-pirouette. Then he gets fussy when I block him from spinning, so his head goes up and I have to pick up my reins (to keep the elbow-bit line straight!) and wait. He's become quite frustrated that his giraffe-face trick his now being successfully countered, and usually drops his head within a few seconds once he realizes that I can hold my hands up for longer than he can hold his head up. So when we work through a trouble spot, it's like this:


Me: (request for something that he chooses not to do)
Pro: Trick A
Me: Response A
Pro: Trick B
Me: Response B
Pro: %#*@!!...Trick C
Me: Response C
Pro: (big sigh): (compliance)

It's just a matter of patiently and consistently countering each trick with the appropriate tool or response. I swear, I'll be able to ride any horse once I get past Pro. Oh and he's now on MSM...much to my dismay (do I now have to admit that he's OLD?!?!), but I'm hoping it'll make him feel better and be more willing to work. :)