schooling and Tracey lesson 11-04-12

Tuesday schooling - worked him deep and round and he really seemed to go well.  Touched on a tiny bit of sideways, transitions etc  Felt that working deeper really helped him.

Tracey lesson - started off warming up deeper for a short time then picked him up and Tracey immediately commented on the trot being much more up and together and looking more connected with the potential to do more with it.  Then she got on and tried the shoulder-in and said it was definitely improved from last lesson 4wks ago which is encouraging.

Then we did some work in hand using leg yield and then turn on the forehand and repeat.  Need to build up to getting the back legs quicker so they're almost trotting.  Then I got on and she did it with me on him.

Then finally we did some canter work.  Remember not too much inside neck bend on the left rein.  Control the shoulders.  Think shoulder-in on both reins. In the canter to trot keep hold of the outside aids and just steady, breath out into trot then forwards.

Today we did schooling in the field.  Working deep and round to start.  Using trot-walk-trot transitions to engage the back end.  Tapping the hindleg on the downwards transitions to keep it active.  Did some really nice transitions.  Then moved onto canter and canter-trot-canter transitions staying on the same rein, riding outside aids into the downwards transition and keeping him round in the upwards.  Did some nice upwards transitions on the right rein for a change but also having real issues doing the upwards part of the sequence as kept going off on the wrong leg.  Silly, stressy pony.  Tried to work on keeping my elbows heavy which felt very different to normal as I think I fix them normally so this should help keep my hands still - need to work on this.  Ran through tomorrow's test.  Few issues getting right trot circle to start with as he'd got stressy but rest of the test happened ok until final halt when he got stressy again so practised walking into halt a few times and then did them ok.  Finished by going back into trot and practising some right trot circles until he relaxed then did a little in sitting trot and it felt really comfy as I think finally he was actually working over his back.  Did some really nice leg yield on both reins, staying round and connected.

Aims tomorrow - lunge him to take the edge off him, do a little leg yield in hand.  Put him away.  Warmup ridden - walk on long rein then trot deep and round and forwards with lots of changes of rein until he relaxes. Also have a canter on each rein.  Then do some trot-walk-trot transitions and then some trot-canter transitions.  Finally pick up the test outline and do a couple of changes of rein and transitions.  Elbows heavy, legs draped, hands soft but consistent contact.