when its good its very very good ...

[Santa_Claus]

schooling Fleur today and it was just one of those sessions where everything clicked leaving me with a huge smile on my face.

I had no stirrups on my dressage saddle (as couldn't be bothered to take stirrups off GP

) so was stirrupless to start off.

Started with lots of circles and flexion and leg yielding in walk for 15 mins then off into trot she was being a bit resistant in her jaw in the downwards transitions to walk so started riding lots and lots of transititions starting off being very progressive and forward and slowly asking for more direct transitions one after the other without resistance. The last 15 mins were purely wonderful, she was working soft and swinging throughout her entire back, whilst working actively from behind into the contact, and housemate (and her owner) confirmed she was spot on in her head position and couldn't really be faulted. To be honest it just felt wonderful and reminds me why I do really love dressage and riding! granted next time I ride her she will probably attempt to floor me but for today she couldn't have been better

Shamless bragging over

Katie

 

[Rachel_M]

Bottle of radox for you! To relax into tonight when your legs start to ache!

 

[skye123]

well done!

 

[Santa_Claus]

nah my legs will be fine as I ride without stirrups for at least half of every session I ride! was drilled into me to help my seat by an old instructor and also it helps keep my back/hips in alignment.

 

[JoBo]

That’s great. It’s wonderful when everything comes together, they give you such a great feeling.

I took Blacks (our little coloured) into the school in-hand tonight and did some showing practice (we still need a lot of work on the trot), and did a bit of an obstacle course with poles, poly blocks and going though jump wings. It was actually really good fun. Sorry not quite the same but I felt good afterwards.

 

[Rachel_M]

I'll have the bottle then as I am getting sore just thinking about it!

Wasn't you competing Fleur at quite a high level SJ? Or am I mixing up horses?

 

[Santa_Claus]

Had Fleur jumping up to Newcomers last season but only a couple of classes due to limited funds (bah humbug as a student though am not anymore!

) and her having a mid season strop mean we haven't done anything other than a few unaffiliated bits and bobs since July. Dan my horse is the one I did 'decent' BSJA on (he is the one in avatar) he is retired to dressage only now after being treated for navicular and bone spavins over the last couple of years