Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Return of the Lessons

I'm totally screwed.  Here I've been bopping along in the horse world all year all fat and pregnant and happily judging life from the ground until I could climb back on the Big Mare and hack around which I've been doing (quite happily) for some time now.

But now Prairie can work some more, and that means I have to work some more and that means I need lessons. 

Real Bad.

If there's one thing pregnancy/rehab does for you riding it's allow every bad habit I've ever had grow and blossom and thrive like a large, rampant weed.

Crap.

Today was my first rude awakening as I had a little mini lesson while I gave Prair her daily hack. 

First up - my damn hands.  Always too low, always with broken wrists, always doing something wrong.

Next? My hip angle, I've gotten comfy just scooting back on my ass and riding a bit too vertical for Hunter Land.  I'm comfy but I'm driving with my seat a lot and I've got to get up and out of the tack a tad more again.

Also? I'm bracing in my stirrup, letting my leg come too forward and using a tad too much inside rein.

So aside from feel like a floppy-slop in the saddle, I've also got to get used to riding a happier, healthier mare. 

Prair is naturally balancing herself better and more willing to maintain her shape and roundness with minimal reminding.  This means there's no excuse for me to get comfy hanging on my reins.  the mare doesn't rely on a super heavy contact anymore, so I need to not remind her how much she liked it.

The mini lesson felt great though.  Prair was super supple laterally and a very calm, rhythmic ride.

We finished canter some poles on the long side and holy MOLY it felt like a totally different horse than the one I was riding a year ago.  I'm not sure how to explain it, but her back is so much more adjustable.  It's much easier to ride her hind leg and in turn when I need to adjust for a distance it feels like her whole back rolls up and waits, or springs forward and lengthens without losing balance. 

ITS SO COOL.

I've never felt her so adjustable or relaxed over poles - it was really fun.  And usually I wouldn't qualify ground rails as anything overly thrilling. 

So time to buckle down and become a better rider for the better mare that seems to have shown up.
Srsly lady, get better.

9 comments:

  1. We have the same bad habits :) Hands too low, too far back in the tack, leg too forward. You'll get all your good habits back soon!

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    1. Could be describing my wonderful habits too although my legs alternate between too far forward & then too far back due to over-compensation

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  2. Back adjustability & non-leaning mare sounds super. Great to have silver linings after all the injury unknown.
    Fingers crossed for you both getting back into the swing lessons. When you figure out how to stop breaking at the wrist please share ☺☺

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  3. sounds like she feels incredible right now - how exciting!! good luck with the lessons... those bad habits are always creeping in when we least expect it lol

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  4. So glad Prair is feeling great! You'll snap back into shape in no time :-)

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  5. I am so glad Prair is doing so well - and you'll get there!

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  6. Hey, I do those things too! Haha. I read a line the other day that said something like "if you're not taking lessons, the horse is training you."

    Ooops. Guilty as charged.

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  7. That sounds so exciting! Must be a great feeling to have your pony back & better than ever.

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