Moving full steam ahead!

I had another great lesson with Shelley on Saturday.  I had worked diligently all week on J following my hands out to the bridle and responding with a quicker hind leg in the half halt.  Shelley was happy to feel the difference, but in the process J had gotten a little dull to the rein aids, as I was so worried about shortening his neck, "holding" him and not asking his neck to stretch into my hand, that I had allowed him to become a little complacent in the reins.  So Shelley quickly got to work with J, asking him to be more accepting of the rein aids.  She did this by taking a shorter rein and using flexions on each rein to position him a little more honestly.  He was a little resentful at first and gave her lots of wrong answers, but he eventually understood that it didn't matter what kind of excuse he gave, he was not getting out of it.  Shelley also wanted to work on our lengthenings, as she feels that our other work is passable for a decent first level test. 

So I got on and Shelley had me ask J to walk very deliberately and slowly, keeping the balance point closer to his hind end while making sure that J is being respectful of the rein.  He actually didn't want to do this too honestly- he kept trying to barge over the reins and walk too quickly, which would force him onto his forehand.  Then once he would complete a few steps correctly and with the correct balance, I would ask him to march off his inside hind for three or four steps, then ask him to come back to the deliberate walk.  It was tougher than it sounds!  The aids have to be very quick and close to each other and if the aids got to strong or long, it would allow him to either fall on the forehand, rush or get behind my leg.  Then we did the same thing in the trot and canter- eventually turning the marching steps into some lengthenings.  The trot was hardest as he kept wanting to either break to the walk or break into a faster trot.  If he broke into the walk, I had to bring him immediately back to the slow walk and then ask him to go into the slow trot.  It took a lot of patience and very quick ques on my part, but we did get some nice moments.  The canter was easiest as it has the most impulsion and easiest to time the aids.  It was a very successful lesson and I can see where these exercises will take us in our work.

On Sunday I worked on keeping his balance point farther back and the exercises that Shelley had taught me on Saturday.  I also ran through the 1-3 test and felt that it was pretty decent.  We will have to work on the canter work some more, but it is tough in a small arena.  I'm excited that our outdoor arena is now open, but it weather has become increasingly uncooperative, even deciding to snow last night.  But in preparation for building my dressage arena in the outdoor, I ordered the vinyl letters today and will be very anxious to do some test work outside and also get my freestyle worked out.  I plan on showing my freestyle on June 18th and 19th, so it must be ready by then!