Today Sil found...

[RachelB]

... where her outside leg had been hiding all these years!

I schooled Berlin in the field; last time I schooled him I only did a short session because I had him really nice and soft in walk and trot and I didn't want to ruin it by cantering. Today he was working well again in walk and trot but got a bit stuffy in the lateral work, then threw a hissy fit because he didn't want to do shoulder-in (damned Arab stubborn streak!). I decided instead to try some canter transitions, and remembered last time I had a lesson my instructor told me the reason he hollows and finds it difficult is because he swings his large backside to the outside

I jammed my outside leg on, his backside came in, then I chose a strategic place to ask for canter and... much to my amazement we popped into this HUGE but very collected and balanced canter, backside underneath, nice low and soft head carriage throughout! You know when you spend months working on something to no avail, and then suddenly everything just goes *click*?!

Sorry I just had to share, it's rather a breakthrough!

 

[chunklovescooks]

Great news well done

 

[RachelB]

lol ta

I can't remember the number of times my instructor has literally yelled at me to use my outside leg; I hope it's still there when I have my next lesson!

 

[YorksG]

Well done, isn't it great when a plan comes together.

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Excellent news, it's an amazing feeling when you coordinate your limbs and body isn't it?

 

[chillidragon]

Wahey! That's the best feeling. We had a little moment like that a few weeks ago when we managed to stay nicely rounded for an entire lap of the hayfield without any prancing or snorting! I tried explaining the immensity of this to the OH but he looked blank and said that all he saw was us 'plodding'.

 

[RachelB]

[ QUOTE ]
Excellent news, it's an amazing feeling when you coordinate your limbs and body isn't it?

[/ QUOTE ]
It was total co-ordination of my limbs, my body, my mind, Berlin's limbs, Berlin's bodym and Berlin's mind! All for about five minutes! My only worry is that I may have run out my luck for another year...

 

[RachelB]

[ QUOTE ]
I tried explaining the immensity of this to the OH but he looked blank and said that all he saw was us 'plodding'.

[/ QUOTE ]
I can guarantee that if somebody had been watching or even just within a half-mile radius of us at the time, we wouldn't have done it! 99% of the photos I have of me on Berlin are very on the forehand, hocks three counties behind body...