Clinic with Razz

So the clinic.  We had cancelled that clinic in May and we really liked him when we went in June but we were having a hard time organinizing a time we could all go together so we randomly asked if he would come to us.  he said sure just let me check the schedule and so we found a day that worked for everyone and off we went.

I had decided I was taking Razz and I wanted to work on slowing her down.  Not that shes crazy or runs off or anything but some days it is just not fun for either of us.  I had been debating on taking Easy just to get him more confident away from his friends but getting there along woulda been a challenge and I already have a plan in the works for him so we went with Razz.  Then I had been asked by a friend if they could come ride Pally and so she had been and Susan decided on only doing one session instead of 2 and so M and Pally came to the clinic too.  Then I woulda had a travelling partner for Easy but still wanted Razz so I took her anyways and so glad I did.

We each had 2 sessions to do whatever we wanted.  I thougt I wanted a group session then maybe work individually but this worked out well cause none of us were working on the same things.  I'm the only one who used the same horse twice and I we used every minute of it (I woulda used more lol but it was supper time and I think Razz was tired)

I told him what I wanted to work on and he said horses go fast for 2 reasons one is cause of unbalance and I said I doubt that's why with her and he looks skeptical and the second is they don't know how to relax at faster speeds. Part of this is because of the way a horse sees.  In pictures so of course brain has to process pics faster at a faster speed and they have to figure that out and try to do what the rider is asking and everything else going on. Well I was skeptical at this point but I'm there so away we go.  He has me work her on the ground a bit and she was pretty hesitant to give anything when we had her moving faster than a trot, she would rather face us then lope on the lunge.  We did get her going a bit but its a big arena and she is way faster than me and Scott as well.  SO then I got on and we started there cause shes more comfortable that way (me too)
He had already said by now shes pretty athletic lol as I knew she was.  More than me haha.  Anyway we loped so he could see what was going on and true to form she was fast, not out of control or anything and I did slow her down sometimes so he said he thinks he can see a few solutions.  Yay!!!  First we worked her at a walk giving her poll.  She didn't really want to at first but then she did so nice and I had trouble feeling when her back leg stepped underneath her so he helped me and made it overexagerated so I could tell and then it was easier to get what I wanted when I knew what it felt like.  Then when she was giving and stepping underneath I would ask her to move over and we did a really cool little half pass.  Hard work for her using those muscles but so much easier in the long run cause her shoulder is not in the way.  Then  we worked at a trot for a bit and did the same thing super cool.  Then the other way it took a little longer and he had to help from the ground for her to get it but then bam she was happy just walking in a circle with her poll bent in.  Its hard to explain cause they are not really bent in just a slight give at the poll without the head tilting or lowering.  He actually said she carries her head too low to be as athletic as she can be but over time working on this she will raise it where its more comfortable and easier for her.  We did a bit at the lope but I need to work on it at the trot and get it consistently before moving up so homework for me.

Then lunch and then others and my turn again.  He has something else he wanted me to work on and it kinda built on the morning stuff.  We walked in a straight line ask for her to give at the pole and she still walks straight but her right front leg and left back leg are landing in the same spot.  Was so neat, I wish someone had taken an video of me doing it.  It took a bit for her to figure out but once she did she was so proud of herself.  Me too :)  And best thing is stuff like this doesn't take a lot of effort on either of our parts so if I don't ride her much we can still work on it every time a little bit.  The giving of the poll lets them relax and gets them listening to the rider.  I rode in my cutter in the morning and the wade in the afternoon he thinks I should ride the wade more.  I agree I sit better in it but it feels so squishy lol but for arena work I think I will for trails maybe not.  Best thing he said to me was neither of us was loosing but neither was winning so we were not going backwards but not progressing either.  That's how I felt as well but made me feel good cause some days I felt like I was losing.  He also thinks her neck marking looks like a big polar bear sprawled out haha now that's all I see when I look at her now.

And as per usual I take pics of everyone and noone got pics of me.  But here is 2 from the other day trying to get confo shots was gonna send them into horse and rider and see where she would place.