dressage lesson with beth

Since Fleck wasn't quite right yesterday we flatted today. And of course today he felt great. Which, phew!

We worked on connection. I put him in the baucher and I think I like it, but I'm not sure. But I had an aha moment!

When I track right, *I* think he is overbent at the neck and his left shoulder is flinging out. So in my attempts to correct that, I hang on that left rein to "straighten" him. Which in essence, makes him hang right back and counter bends him, thus defeating the purpose. But instead if I bring both hands to the right, EVENLY (becaue apparently my brain thinks my hands are even when they are clearly not), this brings his left shoulder around too. It's amazing how well that works actually. At the walk, it's almost like he neck reins. But I have to remember to keep my outside hand down and my inside hand up. (I think.... ). And apparently even though I think he's overbent at the neck and popping that shoulder out, he's just counter bent, so I need to keep the inside flexion a teeny bit.

Going to the left... I need to ride him straighter and not so bent to the inside, even though in my brain, he's going nicely. Same thing as the other way in what I do with my hands.

We got some really nice trot work. and even some nice canter work. :) At the very end, when I was doing the even hand to the right and left thing... he got really quite nice and round and lofty! But I definitely need to keep his nose between his chest and ride him straight!! (I seem to remember Cindy using this visual before with great effects then too). And he needs to stay round!! no more screwing around. When he inverts, just keep my hands with a steady connection and leg leg leg into the bit. He needs to learn that leg means go on the bit.

So yep.. a good ride! And we worked on leg yields too and got some decent ones. I need to LET GO OF THE LEFT REIN to allow him to bend and go left. Sigh...

ONe of these days I'll figure it out and not make myself so backwards and wonky...