Position Is Key

Constantly I come back to the position of the rider. Without the proper balance and position, you are unable to be your best. The horse becomes hindered, the aids are not as tactfully given, and confusion is easily created.

I had two good rides today, with Scout and Jobi. Scout needs time at the canter to develop balance still, and Jobi at the trot. So I began with Scout and the canter, since I’m still a little weak from having the Flu… I figured it would be better to do all the work at the posting trot just before I was done for the day.

At the canter, Scout resists the reins in most any form, but mostly I think it is because he doesn’t have confidence in his own balance at the canter yet. So we just went around at the canter on both leads, with me encouraging him forward and giving only slight input here and there to help him find balance. The right lead was by far the worst, he counterbends but travels the circle like a bicycle, his legs on the outside of the circle and his upper body on the inside. He did make some progress, which I am happy about.

Jobi’s work at the trot was actually much improved over what it has been and we only messed on it a short time. Of course I did as much as I could physically withstand of the posting trot, I’m still working on that one… We also worked a little on the canter, and again he already showed a lot of improvement. His has a tendency to shut down communication on the inside rein on the right canter lead. Today there was little of that though and the half-attempts were short lived.