Back to School

Not been in the school for ages, so thought it was about time we had a little refresher last night.

Just very simple close in hand work a la Becky H, followed by a little long reining.

I just started us off with a good march around the school, walking at her side very gently holding on to the inside rein - more of a feel than a hold, just to ask her to keep with me and follow...felt really nice and light, not forced - we did a few circuits, changed the rein up and down the centre line, did a few serpentines..nice work! Any hesitation was dealt with by a whip waggle to the side of her, she's got the hang of this now.
Then on to the right rein for some work from inside aid to outside hand - really good, I was able to easily control the pace and bend and got some lovely baby lateral steps :-)

Onto the left rein and she was fussier in her head, it must be something to do with my contact I think. I know my right hand is my dominant one..but conversely means it's more sensitive so when that hand is at her head she's steadier.
It wasn't horrendously bad on the left, but she gave me a few shakes of her head to say she wasn't entirely comfortable. I released the contact shook out my hands and arms to make sure I wasn't tensing and holding and then asked again - better. I'll really have to moniter me very carefully as Bally appears to be a very good mirror of tension!

On to a spot of the same sort of work but on the longlines, poor B, it's like the blind leading the blind - I had issues with my positioning on the left rein again, I keep getting too far in front of her shoulder causing her to make little circles or grind to a halt and then when I ask for the move into the outside rein to straighten I forget to change my whip position....... my steering went to pot entirely then! I actually think I'm not being positive enough in the outside rein contact - I'm not working her into anything but the black hole of my baggy contact which is compounded by the wrong body language.... hence the lack of steering
Still on a positive note the entire session was in a lovely calm walk, no rushing or trotting, she was listening and attentive...all good!!

I finished off working at halt and using the whip as a pointer to move her feet individually when touched...a precursor to jambette and Spanish Walk - also good for ensuring a square halt or standing up for showing.
Well, she's certainly desensitised to the stick and has no fear of it ....um there was absolutely no response to stroking, tickling, flapping or tapping anywhere on her legs. Bally just looked at me with a bored expression lol! I may have to be a bit more inventive (back to the clicker!)!!

Night off tonight, I'm out backstepping in the carriage with Di & Prince :-)