We're in an interesting place, training-wise. Courage is starting to learn how to connect through his whole topline and really push off his hind end, which feels AWESOME when it's right.
But getting to "right" takes a pretty long time each day. Courage has to try all the options and see what will work and what I want. We do things like:
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| this sweet head twist |
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| this hollow/inverted thingy |
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| this super crooked move |
Courage is in AMAZING shape right now physically. Now he's learning to take a little mental pressure and do hard things right. Not gonna lie, it's getting pretty fun.
Also does anyone notice that sometimes SOMEONE's bay mouth isn't completely gaping open? (It's a little open. That's better than gaping.) That's pretty cool for us.
It's not perfect. There's room for more. BUT OMG GUYS LOOK AT MY HORSE MY HORSE IS SO CUTE.
Bad news: At least if you're me, that phase of it taking forever to get somewhere good in a ride, (but once you get there 'good' being really quite good, comparatively), lasts FOREVERRRRRRRRRRR.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can tell, the only thing that happens quickly is me mucking it all up and everything falling apart.
DeleteI am familiar with a lot of those "options"...
ReplyDeleteI think Courage is past the cute stage and into the stud muffin range. He is looking so good!
Courage is (almost) always cute!
ReplyDeleteThe head tilt is THE WORST move ever. I find that's the hardest thing to get out of. Mikey did it, Penn LOVES doing it and the judges enjoy marking us down for it. I'm so glad Courage is becoming more willing to play! You're working so hard with him and it shows :-)
ReplyDeleteThe tilt tells me he's holding in his body somewhere.
DeleteWhich is always.
So yeah, not a quick fix. Basically it'll go away when he's perfectly supple and through.
Love that last picture! Glad things are coming together for you guys :)
ReplyDeleteKachina is the queen of the crooked and the head tilt *sigh*
ha Isabel is quite fond of the hollow / inverted / braced stance. she likes to pretend that she's working ("Look ma, my head is down-ish!") even tho, um. no. honestly tho it's cool to see him working through the various phases trying to figure out what they all mean and where it is you actually want him to go.
ReplyDeleteYour horse is so cute!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are really doing great.
Oooh, am I ever familiar with the head tilt! It's a Boca go-to. Usually when he is tense and stiff. And I am learning it also means 'MORE LEG, SHAUNA'.
ReplyDeleteCourage looks great. Definitely stud-muffin stage.
He looks fantastic. Carmen is in great physical shape too. The mental, well, it's a work in progress
ReplyDeleteYou're getting there! So much beautiful progress <3
ReplyDeleteI used to ride Gogo through 45 minutes to an hour of "getting there" every. Single. Ride. Ever. Or at least, every single dressage ride. I basically just had to trot for eternity and let her kind of do her thing, and then at some point in the ride she would just flip a switch and turn into THE most malleable, magical pony ever. But I couldn't force it. I just had to let it come whenever it was coming.
ReplyDeleteHe looks so great!! I'm so happy for you that he's starting to accept a little pressure. That was a huge thing with Katai and she's getting better about this finally too.
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