A Small Epiphany

I finally had enough energy after work to get some rides in! Yay me!

I started with Cisco. He was snorty all the way into the barn, so I decided I would be smart and lunge him before hopping on. Of course he did nothing on the lunge line. Under saddle he was a bit nervous, but tried nicely. He gave me a couple of baby trot lengthenings, but we still need to work on moments at a slower trot. I had a single pole put down and trotted over that for the first time. He seemed to like that - the rest of the trip around the ring after the pole seemed steadier. I guess he wants to be a jumper.

Then I had a short ride on Phantom. I didn't get on her until after 9:30pm, so I had already decided that it would be a quick one just to see how she felt. She has been a bit heave-y as of late, so I am babying her a bit through it in the hopes that I won't have to put her on a steroid.

She did cough a couple of times, but in general sounded better than my last ride. I haven't been really schooling her lately, just trying to keep her moving a bit. Need to try to make her skinny. It will take a miracle. And a muzzle.

I am like many right handed riders, and I have problems riding to the left. I ride great to the ride - in both directions. I still ride to the right even when tracking left. My right hip doesn't move back, I hang on my left rein, my right elbow cocks out a bit - everything that works great when going to the right. And causes horrible issues when going to the left.

I read someone's comment lately about how she had ridden canter for a week with her left hand holding onto the mane to combat her problem. So I thought I might try that while riding Phantom to see if it would help me. Well, actually I remembered another trick - hold onto the reins with only my right hand. (I meant to do the first one, but thought the second one was what I meant to do.)

Holy crap on a cracker. I can sit up when my stupid left hand isn't doing anything.

As soon as I dropped my left hand to rest on my thigh, I feel like I grew 5 inches taller in the saddle. And for a 5 foot tall person, that's a lot. And it was easy. It was just sitting. And then I had to steer with one hand and reins that were too long......

Why can't I sit up like that while holding the rein???? Why??????

So I will be doing some more of that to try to get used to the feeling. And then I guess I will try the hold the mane trick too. I have a feeling I will like the first option better.