One of those breakthrough moments!

[pboy]

I schooled Indio last night. I'm on a mission to teach him that he can work into the left contact and engage the right hind correctly now that his wolf tooth has been removed.

I didn't plan to ride for long so I decided to focus on one exercise - the shoulder-in on a circle with walk-trot transitions that we had done in my French classical lesson. The aim is to get him stepping through with the inside hind leg into the outside rein. Indio was quite lively last night, it was our first ride under flood lights (sob!) and I think he felt he should be out in his field!

The left rein work was fine so I quickly moved onto a circle on the right. As long as I didn't really push him to be 'correct' he stayed soft, but that wasn't the purpose of the exercise so I shortened up my reins, gave a little kick with the inside leg and we had a beautiful yak impression! It felt like a negotiation - he was saying "if you don't push me, I'll stay soft" and I was saying "if you engage your right hind and soften, I'll stop hassling you". After 15 minutes or so, he did soften a little so I walked on a long rein and let him stretch. Then we picked up and started our discussion again! I did almost throw in the towel 10 minutes later as he was clearly finding it hard, but I also know that he can be stubborn and decided to persevere. Demelza had said it would take a few sessions, and I figured that I should be consistent for a while before changing tack.

Well I'm so glad I did!! He suddenly 'got it' and went into a lovely shoulder-in. I did a trot-walk-trot and he maintained it, so I went large. His trot felt amazing!! I did some serpentines and figure-of-eights and I could change bend with just a little squeeze of the new inside leg. I could have done with shortening my reins but the (now even ) contact felt fragile and I didn't dare ruin it. We started to lose the connection a little so I went back onto the circle, got the shoulder-in back then finished with a stretchy trot and walk.

I was on such a high afterwards, he felt like a proper dressage horse! So now I just need to recreate that feeling in a shorter time and maintain it...obviously that's going to be easy...not...

And on a lighter note, we did another competition on Sunday and the photographer got this great (terrible!) photo...caption competition anyone, what could I possibly be saying?!

tlovellphotography.instaproofs.com/store/?page=buyPrintPage&event=1283641&col=0&id=338210014&type=original

[solomon]

Bless him, such a trier, love the Spanish boys and girls.

[racaille]

Sounds as though he was really trying and I think you were right to stop there. I have a bad habit of asking for too much, too long and my coach is always telling me to be content with - and to recompense - any little 'giving in' and not to expect perfection immediately But we all do, don't we

[pboy]

He was certainly very trying for the first 25 minutes Sol

Rac - I'm very glad I stopped there. I knew that if I asked more it would end up in another discussion, and I simply wouldn't have had the time to deal with it! Hopefully by stopping then he realised that in the end life is easier if he works a bit harder!

[brigadier]

Been away so catching up. Fabulous work Pboy, 10 out of 10 for perseverance and what a reward! Very happyfor you. I think the photo is one of those 'awkward' moments in time. You are obviously having a discussion and he seems to be saying "Well, you just want it all, don't you?" in a very teenagerish voice!

[pboy]

Thanks Brig! We've had two more sessions since and he still starts out resistant but I'm getting not good work. I feel like we're resetting our relationship - I'm asking a lot more of him and he's not happy that his usual attempts to slack off are not working.

I think the photo was from our first centre line. A horse in the field behind the judge starting having a big hooley around so Indio got very distracted. Then when we got to C he did a big spook at the judge's windscreen wipers. Most of our work near C was a bit (a lot!) tense as a result. I was amazed to get 64%!