Teaching Myself

I haven't been able to get on the schedule to see my trainer since November. I just haven't had a weekend where I'm available, she's available, and the weather isn't terrible. This month I'm just biting the bullet and riding with the trainer I rode with in Sacramento, she's down once a month and I got into her clinic today, phew! It's a bit pricier than Tracey, but it's a lesson and I need one. 

To combat my lack of lessons, this last weekend I decided to use my soloshot. It was actually warm and sunny and the footing in the only open outdoor was good.

Unfortunately I only got video of our warm up. There was a catastrophic injury at my barn that required a helicopter to come in. I opted to just put TC away because I was really shaken by seeing the firetruck and the ambulance and then hearing there'd be a helicopter. That's all I'll say for privacy's sake. Wear your helmets, guys (this rider always does, but it's always a good reminder).

I got to see how low tone and disconnected he is in warm up though, and that's not great:

This was when the ambulance was coming in, so a bit fussy

He's getting much more upright this way, this is the way that
he wants to lean in like crazy

My reins got too long here, oops

Too chillaxed

Seeing those videos made me feel kinda bummed. In so many ways he's so much better, but he feels so nice in the bridle when he goes like this and he doesn't look so great, he's super low in his thoracic sling. I am fairly pleased with my biomechanics. My hands occasionally get crazy and my seat in the canter STILL needs to be improved, but I'm really happy with how I've progressed as a rider this year.

I came out the next day and tried to get more video and failed to get the camera recording (oops), but I made some major changes to the way I was riding him and we got SUCH great work. I finally came out again on Tuesday and had a less good ride but DID get video (although Jesus, Soloshot was having trouble finding me a LOT of the time ugh), here's the difference:

Better place for warm up I think, still wants to drop his wither
but less so than the original videos

Trotting! Pretty pleased with my biomechanics during this ride

Soloshot had some issues this day

Oh man soloshot saw those hind legs and decided to hide them
from my view lol

A very drunk half pass zig zag, this was the first time I have
ever asked for one, he looks so proud of himself when I stopped
and pet him afterward!

I'm way happier with that! And so was he I think, he was way more pumped up and ready to work. I did get a few lead changes on camera but I'll save those for a lead change post next week, I'm excited to share how far he's come with them.

Nothing helps more than taking lessons with my trainer because she has an eye like no other. But the second best is being able to use this camera! Luckily I have a lesson today, I'm hoping to work on quality of the gaits and the connection, so it'll be a bit boring, but it's good for us because the Second level movements are confirmed and the Third level movements just need higher quality gaits to support them. Hopefully by the end of the year, I'll have a Third level horse and the beginning of a pirouette for our Fourth level or maybe PSG dreams by the end of 2021.