exvet wrote:SF - I think Junior and I are a great 'test'/'study' for improving the canter. All three of his gaits have improved immensely under saddle. To think he barely came close to stepping into his track at the walk and now oversteps by 1/4-1/2 a hoof print is huge for us. Both his trot and his canter have improved and though we're not there yet, we are definitely on the cusp. My point is that I think your plan is a solid one for Tesla.
Yes, I hope so. I have noticed T being more "grabby" with her hind legs recently. I took her off ALCAR as an experiment, and that is supposed to help with muscle function, so I will put her back on it and see if the grabbiness abates. Today we got some really good work in the trot. Other than BEND and DON'T GIVE UP THE CONTACT, I didn't get yelled at for the same things as yesterday, so that's nice
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
We did get some bending through T/C/T transitions to the right, but again on the left, she was bending in the neck, but not in her body, and quit on me when we really tried to insist on bend while incorporating the canter. Next ride I'll try doing the work to the left first and see if she can do it; I suspect she was partly just mentally done with the level of pressure. I decided to call it after 30 minutes as we were both sweating and I didn't think there was much to gain by picking at scabs or picking fights. I felt like I got enough to work through for a few months at least. Leslie did say she saw some funkiness in the RH, so I'll have the vet check things out while we're there on Wednesday, but I strongly suspect that it's not joint related, and just needs to be addressed through strengthening and stretching.
When we got home, I had a good ride on A. I upped the ante on her kind of like one of the clinic rides yesterday for a mare who was behind the leg. Luckily A didn't buck like the mare in the clinic
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
The result was good, and I think we can get the simple changes and maybe the flying changes soon if I keep it up. At the end we played a little with half steps, which she is really getting the idea of.
I think the best advice I heard at the clinic was "Dressage is really hard and takes a lot of focus. Don't fiddle around and ride bad steps. Ride a few good steps, and stop before you lose focus. Get your shit together and then go again."
I hope Brandon is OK today! A pony at the barn coliced suddenly and severely this morning just as I was getting ready to head to the clinic. He is at the vet overnight and they don't know if he is going to make it, so jingles for little Pablo.
Blob, I hope work eases up and you get to ride more soon! I am thinking of putting out feelers for a half lease for Annabelle. Luckily I work for the government, so they can't demand crazy hours from me, but I still see way too much work ahead and don't see how I can keep two going through winter with everything else. Her jump rider is headed to Ocala for the winter, so I'm kind of on my own.
Hopefully if the weather holds we'll have cross-country clinic with the new jump/event trainer at the local XC course next weekend. The weather is changing rapidly - my girls just went from sheets to 50 gram to 100 gram blankets in the past week or so.