In which the bulging shoulder rears its ugly head...

[diaryofarider]

Good ride on Trudi tonight. Canter to the left was super, canter to the right a bit crazed. ^_^. Worked her on some voltes at the trot, and noticed that she was drifting out on the circle, but it took me a while to realize she was actually falling through the outside shoulder, because it wasn't that obvious- usually when a horse does it it feels like a rope is attached to their shoulder and is yanking it to the outside, but her evasion was more subtle. At first I got stiff and frustrated-- I was trying to keep the outside rein and put my outside leg on, but she kept falling to the outside and was really fighting me and seemed confused and stuck- and I knew I was stuck too. So I dropped back to the walk and got her straight and correct there, and had a little lightbulb moment and a few steps where I went "Hey, that's how she felt after Bent rode her." After that, the trot voltes were no problem. So hooray for straightness and my little horsey that could. My abs are tired and a little sore tonight, which I also take as a good sign- maybe I actually sat up and RODE for a while. ;)

Comments

[skyhuntress.livejournal.com]

The outside rein can be a killer, can't it? I'm working on 15m vaultes at the canter, and Limerick totally drifts if my outside rein and leg aren't on 100% of the time.

I want to see pictures of trudi!

[diaryofarider.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I should take some new ones of her-- might not happen till clinic in August though (at least for under saddle). I probably will wait for her leg to heal up completely before taking any pics anyway cuz it's still hairless in spots. ^_^