Forever Flying Changes

Well, over the last several weeks due to weather and busy family weekends, I've been riding about

Oct 2013

every 4 days, rather then 4 days a week. That doesn't help fix the issues I've been having with Sam, but it's also not really the cause. But I'm sure turnout time cut in half (every winter) does have something to do with it.

Issues:

1. Giving me flying changes while just cantering around the ring or in 20 meter circles.
2. After we get going with the canter, heavy bridle leaning and on the forehand.
3. While jumping, the first two issues become #3 which is flying at the jumps, leaving long and super hopping into flying changes or super-duper leaning counter-canter, oh and blowing out the outside shoulder.

Well, I did say I wanted flying changes on both sides consistently. Well, I have them. And apparently a common side effect is the horse doing them all the time. 

Solutions:

1. Working on some counter canter. 
2. Getting a super soft and slow trot. 
3. Shutting him down with a halt and possible backup when he starts the leaning/speeding up.

He's really good about the shut down. He's all like, 'oh... sorry, I was just getting carried away. I'm still pumped, but I'm actually listening now.'

My sporadic rides have been productive but not fruitful. Combined with barely getting to jump (weather/darkness), I'm losing confidence. 

Yesterday was more of the same and shutting him down seemed to help a bit. Oh, and lateral work. He hates 'dressage' so we definitely trot around shoulders in, haunches in when he's being naughty. We stop when he says uncle. :)

Oct 2013

Today was different. I still got the forward horse (LOVE!) so I was able to trot more then I normally could. We worked on slow slow, western jog all the way up to extended trot. It was good. We were indoors with two other horses too. 

We had excellent canter departs and I pretended I was letting him take me to the fence so we'd have a good pace, and we kept that pace. I was able to push my reins up and he did a decent job of staying balanced. 

And OMG, it was the first time since the new year I was able to ride around the ring and not feel him trying to hop into a lead change - in both directions! I worked really hard on trying to turn my shoulders and not mess with my leg positions/repositions. Just quiet and rhythmic. 

So glad I finally had a really positive ride with some results. More tomorrow, YAY!