Missed a day - but today was awesome!

Sure, I missed a day posting on my blog for Lent. But today was most awesome, so I'll write a bit about that.

Thanks to being on Spring Break, I was able to have a lesson with Debra (who teaches at the barn during the day on Wednesdays). I asked for help on the trot half-passes and the flying changes that come into play in Third Level. Obe and I have both working, but they aren't exactly awe-inspiring. She tends to die out in the half-pass if I have enough bend. She tends to hop and buck a bit in the lead changes. So, I presented both to Debra and we went straight to work.

Holy moly...we worked so hard! We cantered almost the whole time, working at ways to prep for the flying change and then get it with as little drama as possible. Why worry about drama? Well, when I asked for the first change of the day, Obe bucked her hind end above her ears and nearly dumped me. She was not pleased with the idea of changing. So, we changed tactics a bit and shifted to a large circle/oval shape where Obe's mind was a little calmer and engaged. We schooled the change from counter-canter to true canter and then back. We got it several times very nicely...other times, not so much. Obe is still convinced that she should only counter-canter and never change - good little Second Level horse.

So much of it boils down to my prep (including getting her even on both reins) and slowing my brain down and thinking through it all. I tend to do the, "Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes....CHANGE!" approach that almost got me bucked off today.

Then we moved to trot half-passes (since we had her all jazzed up from the changes). We used the movements from Third Level Test 1 to school, but rather than do the shoulder-in in trot (then half ten-meter circle, half-pass back to rail), we did medium canter down the long side, transitioned to trot in the half circle to centerline, then half-passed back to the rail. Holy smokes! Her half-passes got all jazzed and fluid! Loved it!

I know that was terribly nutshell (and so many fun things happened), but that's what I have time and brain power for.

Oh...and love my mare!