Carpe Trudi
Jun. 17th, 2008 08:53 pmSo I rode like the best I have ever ridden. I felt like I was some fancypants international dressage goddess or something. Trudi was good, and really, really happy.
Trotting I actually stayed IN the saddle, even when posting I made sure I didn't get too far away from the horse as I sometimes do. I stayed centered, slowed the tempo with my posting, and Trudi had great impulsion and a steady rhythm, and put her energy into some nice suspension. She kept offering these lovely canter transitions, but I kept bringing her back and she accepted it and just made the trot even nicer.
Cantering started off better- I realized something after Sunday's crappiness- that every time I actually did try to give the inside rein, I threw my inside shoulder forward, thus making it pretty much impossible for her to maintain a bend to the inside.
Tonight I kept my seat and didn't canter too long, did some trot, FORCED myself to SIT up, and bent my knees (even though I wanted to water ski), closed my thighs and slowed the trot and reorganized, then rode some GOOD trot, and then took a walk break. After a few minutes we picked up the trot again and then did a couple laps of canter. The canter started off better each time than it had on Sunday, and when Trudi got quick down the long side, I kept sitting up straight, clamped onto her with my thunder thighs, bodily PICKED HER UP, and set her into the canter I wanted. WHOA. It was like a ufo catcher and a stuffed animal. And I think she loved it- she was like "O Captain, my Captain!"
So yeah, I should probably never ride again, because I dunno if I can top that.
Trotting I actually stayed IN the saddle, even when posting I made sure I didn't get too far away from the horse as I sometimes do. I stayed centered, slowed the tempo with my posting, and Trudi had great impulsion and a steady rhythm, and put her energy into some nice suspension. She kept offering these lovely canter transitions, but I kept bringing her back and she accepted it and just made the trot even nicer.
Cantering started off better- I realized something after Sunday's crappiness- that every time I actually did try to give the inside rein, I threw my inside shoulder forward, thus making it pretty much impossible for her to maintain a bend to the inside.
Tonight I kept my seat and didn't canter too long, did some trot, FORCED myself to SIT up, and bent my knees (even though I wanted to water ski), closed my thighs and slowed the trot and reorganized, then rode some GOOD trot, and then took a walk break. After a few minutes we picked up the trot again and then did a couple laps of canter. The canter started off better each time than it had on Sunday, and when Trudi got quick down the long side, I kept sitting up straight, clamped onto her with my thunder thighs, bodily PICKED HER UP, and set her into the canter I wanted. WHOA. It was like a ufo catcher and a stuffed animal. And I think she loved it- she was like "O Captain, my Captain!"
So yeah, I should probably never ride again, because I dunno if I can top that.