Level 1 but being particular....

I watched most of the L4 online dvd last night - wow it inspired me. Is so good to see 'where' we are going. I was also interested to see the S bend and falling leaf explained - funny how it popped up in the monthly dvd too.

Had a big think about all the opposition reflex I got the other day with Cam, and thought it was probably a combination of lack of respect and me not being clear or consistent or particular. Funny, that.....
So, I watched the L1/2 freestyle to remind myself what I should be doing with my arms/legs etc. Hmmm, a few revelations. I'm kind of doing it but not well enough, and when was the last time I have done any one rein riding... Although Cam and I have officially 'passed' L2 with L2++ I feel a bit of a fraud as it is not consistently good. I wouldn't be happy riding in a paddock (5 acres or so) on a completely loose rein at more than a walk. I think I'd be doing a lot of one rein stops and there would be a lot of braceiness. So, thinking about what I learned the other day from Clinton Anderson technique (which was pretty much exactly what L1 is, EXCEPT the flexion was with 2 reins and not 1...maybe ok for a LB horse but I think a RB would feel far too claustrophobic.) yet again I have decided to go back and fill in the gaps.. I also noticed I still have a tendency to use two reins when I or she gets worried - yes I can ride Cam walk trot and canter 'under control' but with contact - I can't freestyle... she goes RBE. Also, I realised my body dynamics are out in the arena - with follow the rail (which we don't do well yet...shocking - we have been 'in' L2 so long but not persisted with it) I 'lead' with the 'wrong' hand. Also, thinking of the mastery lesson and disengagement on the move, thought I'd bear that in mind - it is just L1......

So I have decided to ride with one rein for every session for AT LEAST the next 7 sessions, and to go back to marking off the patterns - for some reason I haven't been doing that.

Today went really well - played on the 45ft online , spaced the barrels out to get a good fast figure of eight - they were about 20ft apart. Then I asked for circles, and when the trot dribbled down to a walk I did something about it - swift COD and we were off again - it only took 2 of those before I got 4 circles in consistent gait, although she was spiraling in - not a bad thing so we stopped at that. I also got a bit more imaginitive and asked for follow the rail using about 3/4 of the 45 ft - that was fun and suprisingly good. Then we did a quick trip up and down the arena with falling leaf, and s bends - I found after the first one or two I didn't have to use my stick ....how interesting....she just followed a feel.

So then I thought I'd get on - girth goes up a bit more these days - hole 7 on each side!! I got on properly from the Indian side - I have been 'lazy' and used the arena fence for months, so time we mixed it up a bit. We got some super soft lateral flexion, she kept flexed for 15 seconds by herself, then snatched a little, and I held, as she wasn't RB, then held for another 15 and I released... we moved into direct and indirect along the rail, and se was so much softer, and not ONCE did we have opp reflex.....

I thought we'd have a trot, and off she shot, so I softly bent her to a halt, then just kept mixing things up so she couldn't anticipate' as she was so LB. We got some nice downwards transitions with just a lift of the rein in the end, and I was pleased she could differentiate between lifting for that and then keep going to lifting to go backwards and keep straight. We finished with a one rein ride up the hill in the next paddock for a snack of grass and to leave the twins on their own for a few minutes - Rafiki was happily grazing off out of sight by herself in the other paddock anyway.
Very pleased - have been timing my rides, because I don't want her to get sore as she is so out of condition, but I need to do enough. Yesterday we rode for 20 minutes (online for 30), today was half an hour online half an hour ride, mainly walk and a bit of trot, but we do more trot and canter online, so think we need to build up gradually.
Looking forward to tomorrow....