Steering is Hard

Last week I rode Hawk on a trail ride, so no pictures. Another rider joined us, John riding a large mare, Blue. John started Wild Thing when she was just a baby. It was very laid back, just walking in the wash behind Julie's house. But it was a lot of fun.

This week I rode Hawk again, and worked on steering and transitions. We started by trotting 20 meter circles and serpentine's.

We also worked on my positioning. I tend to drop my hands when trying to slow down or stop, and also cross the rein over Hawk's neck when I'm trying to steer. I'm especially bad with the left. I lean forward when I'm asking for something (more speed or slow down), which helps my heals come up, and my stirrups to shift. When I am sitting straight my back has too much of an arch to it, I look down more than I should. I also tend to get a little more sloppy when I start getting tired. At least my heals are down here.

We also worked on canter! I decided (wisely apparently) that there would be too many things to remember to try and do, so I took Julie up on her offer of a lunge line, so I could focus more on where my body was and let her worry about where Hawk was. That turned out to be a good idea, as sitting trot, while sitting up straight (pelvis under shoulders, back not arched), with the inside leg on the girth, outside leg just behind the girth, looking forward, heels down, toes pointing up and ahead, hands relatively steady... I think I tend to oversimplify the important parts. Butt on saddle, everything else as I think of it/realize I'm not doing it.

But I did finally get into canter (it helps that Hawk is pretty good understanding voice commands, he sometimes does what Julie is telling me to do, just by her saying it, now if I can just get him to recognize the letters we'll look great).

Here I am being told I'm leaning forward during canter, which is probably why Hawk wouldn't keep cantering for long... But look how nicely he's standing.

Ok, leaning forward a little bit, and looking down, and does that count as "behind the girth"? But hey, the heel is down, the butt is on the saddle... lots could be worse.

After the cantering, I was pretty tired (so sloppy), so we worked on transitions more. Trot at E, back to walk at A, back to trot at B, walk at C. Keep hands in place, heels down, toes forward so I use calves, not heels to ask for trot (unless I don't get it, then heels are ok), sit up straight, pelvis forward so my back isn't arched, shoulders back, look forward, hands are all over the place again... I fix one thing, I forget about another... too much to remember all at once. Obviously I just need more practice. :)

Next week I'm going on Thursday evening again.