Problem solving.

Here are the issues I need to address before my next lesson:

Problems:

Berky
****Canter-trot transitions. He's still a little sticky here. My confidence is a lot better, but it takes up to five strides to get the shift. Today, for example, I asked him to come down and I had to go in a circle a few times before he would listen.

****Rushing through gymnastics. I've been using simple trot-in grids the past few rides, ranging from these to the standard pole-pole-pole-stride-crossrail. He has somehow managed to canter through my trotting-spaced poles, which baffles me. I am not sure if I should just get rid of them or move them closer together.

Me

****Not roaching my back over the fences. I have a tendency to curl up rather than stretch out- a relic from the Sammie days.

****Being more forgiving with my hands when we're just cantering. I don't need a death-grip on his face. He's a good boy and hasn't done anything to deserve that, at least not recently.

****Heels. Heels. Heels. They really aren't that bad, but when I start focusing on my release, they tend to come up.

Solutions:

Other than bothering Allannah, which I may turn to if I can't figure it out:

Berky:

****Well, pulling on his mouth is getting me nowhere, and I kick myself whenever I catch myself resorting to it. I think part of the issue still stems from my shoulders. I didn't get any video today, but they were probably rounded forward. Hrm. I may need to stick a crop behind my arms for a little bit. Also, maybe I could try a spiraling circle? We usually canter our first lap as a circle anyways, just so I have some control.

****This may sound suicidal, but I think I'm going to try adding another element to my pole grids. Maybe a low crossrail oxer to bounce would help? It would get him thinking, and act like a speed bump. I've been riding the grids in two-point the whole way, and giving a mega-release over the fences so I don't catch him in the mouth. Eh, worst case scenario is I fall off. I've done that a million times before, and I'm still kicking ;)

Me

****I think most of the back roaching comes from anxiety. Denna remarked on it when I was jumping Welly (the batsh*t-insane Olympic trials horse) at her clinic. I need to focus and remember that Berky isn't going to pull anything- his old rider was disabled and showed him in both hunters (2'9) and jumpers (3'9), for Pete's sake. Maybe I'll try the Equisearch excerpt again.

****Elbows. And remembering that Berky listens better on a lighter contact. I should start making up songs when I canter, so I relax or something. This will probably resolve itself as I get more confident.

****The heels will come with focus, I'm thinking. I also grip with my knees, so I think relaxation should help that too. My legs are still a little weak, but I do plenty of no-stirrups and two-point exercises.

Meh. I have a lot to do, but I feel like we've come a long way.