Thursday, June 13, 2013

Squeeze like a Sponge

I had a mini lesson tonight.  Jen was out doing some of the other girls and I was hacking during their lessons.  She asked if I had jumped him yet in the new bit and I hadn't so she had me take him over some to see how it went. 

It was great, as long as I started with enough pace.  If he was behind my leg, I couldn't see the distance and would pick at him, pissing him off.  When he was forward and moving, all I had to do was close me hand, or as Jen said squeeze the reins like a sponge, and he was right there.  We worked thru a line then did a figure 8 with two diagonal fences.  He was turning really well, actually bending and giving instead of bracing on my hand. 

Apparently I have a habit of giving my outside rein in the rollbacks, then picking it back up on the straight away but didn't have that problem tonight.  Jen said my hands/rein length/connection looked great and Buddy was soft and willing.  The only thing that tripped us up a couple times was making sure I have plenty of leg when I half halt and don't pick at him.

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