Monday's Lesson

... was a real stinker! We're still trying to get some left bend. JL liked the idea of the bucking strap, anything that I feel comfortable grabbing to hold my left hand steady works for her. She also saw the benefit of the strap as it allows me to maintain my seat. Burying my knuckles in Speedy's crest requires I ride in a two-point position.

Right off the bat, Speedy noticed a discarded lunge line on the other side of the fence. And of course, it was in the corner where he likes to pick up speed. Of course he spooked and warned, "Snake, snake! There's a giant snake approaching!" JL coiled up the line, showed it to him, and even rubbed his dorky face with it while he soaked up the non-working attention.

Since maintaining a left bend is hard work, Speedy spent the entire lesson rearing, bucking, or bolting past the place where said snake had been lurking. Each time I approached the corner, I asked him to move sideways away from my inside leg while maintaing a left bend. As that requires some work, he would instead offer some naughty form of resistance.

At places along the circle, I was able to finally get some truly connected, rhythmic sideways movement that was FUN! We had one series of steps that were like floating: he had a lovely bend and was connected from the bottom of that inside leg all the way through and over his back down into the bit. I laughed out loud.

Most of the time though, he just said no. At one point, we had an all out rodeo. I finally had to "cowgirl up" and flail my legs and yeehaw him to get his feet moving forward through the corner. Somewhere during the bucking and rearing, he slammed me into the arena fence and bruised my knee. I recognized the bump when it happened, but I didn't stop to check it out.

We finished the ride with the knowledge that we have a lot of homework to do, but I know exactly how to get it done. On my drive home, I realized how sore my knee was. I ended up needing to ice it that evening. I also decided that Tuesday would be a good day to skip the barn, which I don't do very often.

The day off proved very valuable. I accomplished a million little errands that had been piling up:

1. I did my grocery shopping at Target which also meant I picked up a dry erase board for showing and a mini notepad for the trailer.
2. I returned the blingy belt I had ordered a few weeks ago; it turned out to be way too small. I wear a size 6. How can a 32 be too small? Poorly designed product?
3. I also mailed JN the pictures I took of her in thanks for taking so many of us at El Sueno. She took much better photos than she's getting in return. I am not much of a photographer.
4. On a non-horsey front, I was also able to sit down for a few minutes and send the balance that we owe for our upcoming trip to Central America (a big woohoo for that!).
5. And while I was doling out money, I also ordered a plaque from the California Dressage Society on which to hang my "plate." More about that in the next day or two.
6. And finally, with all of my chores done, I zipped over to Fancy Nails and got a much needed pedicure.

Today, back to the barn for a ride on Sydney and if time, a quick lunge with side reins for the reluctant-to-bend Speedy G.