So since the show, my life has been crazy busy. I am preparing to have surgery this Friday, so there has been many things to get done, as I will be laid up for a little while afterwards. Upon finding out that I needed surgery, I promptly took care of the most important task, securing a plan where J would be worked and kept in shape. So my amazing, caring and gracious trainer, Shelley Day, immediately agreed to ride J for three days per week for the initial two weeks following surgery. I am hoping that I will be back to riding after two weeks, but Shelley will continue to ride if I need more time to heal. So that was a big relief to have that taken care of, and it will be nice for Shelley to ride J on a consistent basis without me screwing him up!
Shelley and I had a lesson on Monday, which will be our last one for a few weeks. Shelley is really focusing on J using his hind end more and being more honest in the half halts. He leaves his hind legs trail out too far behind himself instead of bringing his hind feet up and under himself while staying stretched through the neck to the bit. And of course, keep his neck straight and ask his inside hind to step up under the center of himself. So we asked him to keep his pole super high during the entire ride, which was very exhausting for him, but necessary. He can be a little sneaky in the reins where he is super supple and can round up in a heartbeat, but he also can shove his shoulders into the reins in a way that the rider does not feel like he is using the reins to support himself, but he actually is. So we did lots of transitions with him, keeping his poll really high and demanding immediate transition and not allowing his shoulders to drop down and out the front. He did fairly well with it and got to understanding the exercise pretty quickly. We worked in all gaits with the same idea- poll high, super straight neck, keep his hind legs coming. This work will make him have a more honest half halt and be more balanced which will lead to proper collection.
My surgery is on Friday, so I have two more days of riding before my break. Fortunately I will be able to go to the barn after the first week and at least groom him and such. So it will be an interesting time! I'm still aiming to go to the March show at Field's and Fences, so hopefully I will heal quickly and be back on in no time. But it's a comfort to know that my barn owner and trainer will be taking such great care of him and I have nothing to worry about.
No comments:
Post a Comment