#18 Project Relax Day 1
Yesterday was DAY 1 of PROJECT RELAX.
Flora is naturally quite tense in the school, so since we are biting the bullet and trying to start improving our dressage, this needs sorting.
After a warm up and a run through of our Prelim test at the weekend, which my friend Eli videoed, Flora’s resistance to contact reared its ugly head again, which ironically, is a perfect description of Image 1, below
🤔. Even when she’s not obviously resisting, her jaw is clenched and she’s generally quite upright (Image 2).
Interestingly, when we are warming up, she is happy to flop round long and low, but as soon as I shorten my reins, I tend to disappear down a hole in her back.
🤦♀️She’s been checked over, had her teeth done, her bit professionally fitted and her tack changed, so it seems it’s down to a combination of my riding (makes sense) and the fact that she was trained to race, is now 14 and hasn’t done much in the way of schooling in the meantime - at least, not consistently.
Flora is naturally quite tense in the school, so since we are biting the bullet and trying to start improving our dressage, this needs sorting.
After a warm up and a run through of our Prelim test at the weekend, which my friend Eli videoed, Flora’s resistance to contact reared its ugly head again, which ironically, is a perfect description of Image 1, below
🤔. Even when she’s not obviously resisting, her jaw is clenched and she’s generally quite upright (Image 2).Interestingly, when we are warming up, she is happy to flop round long and low, but as soon as I shorten my reins, I tend to disappear down a hole in her back.
🤦♀️She’s been checked over, had her teeth done, her bit professionally fitted and her tack changed, so it seems it’s down to a combination of my riding (makes sense) and the fact that she was trained to race, is now 14 and hasn’t done much in the way of schooling in the meantime - at least, not consistently.
Soooo... it’s time to take Frankie’s advice, Flora, and just...relax.
Last night was the first time I rode her again since the weekend due to a stinking cold, and we spent a full 25 minutes schooling in walk. Corners, circles, leg yields, walk-halt-walk transitions, changes of rein and serpentines. Free walk on a long rein, medium walk on a contact, medium walk as long and low as possible whilst still on a contact.
During, I jabbered away to her, explaining that her mouth and my rein contact needed to feel like we were holding hands rather than arm-wrestling.
🙄
She tried to break into a trot twice when I was pushing her on through the corners, because another issue her tension causes is that she almost gets ‘stuck’ and can’t go forward without rushing.
So last night was lovely when, several times, she let out lots of long, relaxed breaths with a nice wobbly diaphragm
👍🏼 and got on with the job very happily. It’s a shame you’re not allowed to chat away to them throughout a test 🤦♀️
Anyway, Image 3 is when we picked up some trot work, filmed by Alice, and although there’s still bags of room for improvement, I’m really rather pleased
☺️
Lesson tonight. Let’s see if/how that changes things...
Last night was the first time I rode her again since the weekend due to a stinking cold, and we spent a full 25 minutes schooling in walk. Corners, circles, leg yields, walk-halt-walk transitions, changes of rein and serpentines. Free walk on a long rein, medium walk on a contact, medium walk as long and low as possible whilst still on a contact.
During, I jabbered away to her, explaining that her mouth and my rein contact needed to feel like we were holding hands rather than arm-wrestling.
🙄She tried to break into a trot twice when I was pushing her on through the corners, because another issue her tension causes is that she almost gets ‘stuck’ and can’t go forward without rushing.
So last night was lovely when, several times, she let out lots of long, relaxed breaths with a nice wobbly diaphragm
👍🏼 and got on with the job very happily. It’s a shame you’re not allowed to chat away to them throughout a test 🤦♀️Anyway, Image 3 is when we picked up some trot work, filmed by Alice, and although there’s still bags of room for improvement, I’m really rather pleased
☺️Lesson tonight. Let’s see if/how that changes things...
I love to hear that you are working together at the walk and working on relaxation! I think a lot of riders focus on the other gates, but walking is the foundation for everything and should be done for at least 10 minutes, especially when the weather is cold. Glad to have you in the group and looking forward to following along.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is working, Heather! I always let her walk and stretch for a good 5-10 minutes, but actually schooling more in walk is paying off too!
DeleteI wish I was this patient in the walk work! I usually work max 15-20 minutes in walk before I move to trot. But I know we also need more walk work. Especially leg yields and being relaxed. Excited to see how this turns out!
ReplyDeleteI'm guilty of neglecting schooling generally, I'm ashamed to say. Too busy wanting to jump and hack out! But every stride between fences is flat work, I guess, so it's time we went back to basics!
DeleteEverything comes from the basics and starts with the walk! If you can not get it at the walk, the other gaits will suffer.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree! More schooling in walk has made her a little more relaxed after only a few sessions. Less rushing about anticipating speed!
Deletegreat!
Delete