Tuesday December 22 was my last lesson of 2020 with my coach Belinda Trussell. For the last couple of lessons we have been working on an exercise that is exceptionally good at showing up one of my bad habits. Here is the exercise: a 3 loop serpentine all executed in travers ( haunches in) .
So what is the bad habit this exercise revealed? I do not prepare the change of bend for the changeover from left to right or right to left well enough. In the canter it is particularly evident as it means I do not have Biasini set up for a good flying change as I cross the centerline. We started working on this exercise in trot. Even in the trot I immediately recognized the devilment of this exercise! So we worked on this exercise in more than one lesson. In the lesson on Tuesday Belinda had me slow Biasini down to a very small trot, get him soft in the hand, and prepare the change of bend. Once I had that power up and move out to a bigger trot. Here is a video of that exercise and also travers on the diagonal across the arena and a half pass from the centerline.
Biasini will be having a holiday from work for the week after Christmas. Belinda is taking a ‘staycation’ as we are now all under another lockdown. Fortunately this time owners are allowed to come in to look after their horses and to ride. So Biasini and I will be going out for forest trail rides weather permitting. We have snow forecast for Christmas day and that will be good for going out on the trails as it means it will not be too icy. So we will take to the forest a few times and other than that take some time off with no work at all in the arena!
I will also be taking a break from blogging and will be back at the beginning of January. Biasini and I wish all of you a Happy Christmas and stay well!
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