Life is good.
Not a cloud in the sky and Dorothy came out to our place for the first time in a LOOOONG time.
She was stunned about what an old plug Ace is at our place. At least on the ground. Had an excellent lesson with Dorothy reminding me of the place and the feel where Ace is just crossing the line to curling behind the vertical and how to correct him politely but in such a way that he knows that is NOT the place to be. (It is priceless to have such valuable eyes on the ground.)
Canter right requires that I counterflex him just a tad immediately after the up transition and sit left — the quality of the canter grew by leaps and bounds (quite literally) with that simple change. Canter left is quite good as is.
She agreed with me that the ride on Ace is 99% mental and that he’s making me a better rider by requiring me to be more tactful and quicker to respond to his ever-changing balance. I really enjoy riding him. Physically, he is a piece of cake as I simply (or not so simply sometimes) sit up and stay straight in my own body and stay out of his way. He’s smart and with endless enthusiastic try. While I have absolutely no vested interest in dressage as anything other than a means to an end of having a more athletic horse with Ace, he may actually be the horse that has the ability to climb the levels. Who knew?
We messed around with saddle fit on Ned before my lesson. Dorothy, bless her soul, is wonderful with saddle fit and with the new Mattes correction half pad, I’ve got the option of shimming here and there if I need to. (My plan is still to start the 100 in the Solstice, then switch to the treeless saddle at about 50 miles or if he shows any sign of soreness before then.)
Climbed on, re-evaluated the fit, and proceeded to start an argument with Ned. Come round? queries Ned, bracing his underneck. Grrrr, I started to fiddle. A little hands, a little kick, grumbling.
I got scolded for that. “Stop talking. I can’t believe you are verbally arguing with your horse. RIDE HIM.”
I was mortified and Dorothy was absolutely right. She stood there with her arms crossed. After a moment, she simply said, “You know how to ride him. Why engage the argument?”
Grumble, grumble, grumble, and I did it and it took time to the left before I really had him through and we were dancing. Physically, he is MUCH more work. Simply because of his size, length and the scope of his gaits. Well, and his brain as well. He can go on the lightest, softest, loveliest contact but it takes an occasional gorilla attack to get him to agree to that level of conversation. Sigh. But when he is lovely, well, there is nothing like dressage on Ned when we’re dancing. (Such an addiction.)
We attempted canter from trot, and immediately Ned braced and argued. This time, I smartened up, brought him down to walk, immediately shortened the reins and asked him to come round, and the moment he did, I softened and asked for the up transition. (No nagging each other, no bickering, if he resists I immediately take him to the mat without getting emotionally involved, get him to say “uncle”, reward him richly and get the up transition, layering submission on submission rather than argument on argument. Duh.) Gorgeous transition, and the canter was phenomenal. We worked from working canter to collecting canter, and Dorothy was squealing “you should see his hocks! you should see him sit!” Hell, I could feel it. Dorothy said it was the best quality of canter he’s ever shown.
Canter left, his weaker side, the same tactic worked for the transition, and thank goodness I had Doris do the myofascial work on me, I was actually straight riding the canter. While we never got it quite as collected as to the right, it got quite lovely but it really required me riding him actively through my seat, and being immediately ready to collect the energy we created with my outside rein. It was quite good when we decided to bring it back to trot.
Good stretch to the buckle (ohhh, if I still showed, he’s got a 9 stretch, it is absolutely textbook) in the trot, sit, walk on a long rein.
Tired, but good, and I have a very good game plan for both my boys.
Rich took a lesson on Sarge too, working on his posting position (it’s been a looonnnnnggggg time since he’s had a lesson) and I greatly envy my husband’s natural ability to just plain sit up. Effortlessly. Sigh.
We concluded, sadly, that the new Solstice we bought does not in fact work for either Sarge or Ned as is. It is wider enough thru the points that the fit is far too tight down Sarge, and the pommel sits low enough on Ned that we didn’t bother screwing around with it. Sigh. Oh well, we’ll see what the saddle fitter says in June. Luckily we don’t need to be riding in the old Solstice at the same time until after that date.
Heading out to get the trailer pre-packed for Canada because I travel for work next week.
Tomorrow, we’re taking Ned and Sarge to Allegany at the warmest time of the day and doing a FAST 10-12 miles. Will probably come home and school dressage with Ace afterwards.
For Ned, his last “real” ride will be Tuesday tho I’m not sure what my plan is just yet. Then it will be a little easy dressage schooling and/or some walks around the house before we head to NC.