Finally my back has decided to cooperate again and had a nice, pain free lesson. We had the whole of Merrist Wood's huge indoor at our disposal with not a white board in sight so made the most of the space and practiced the tempi changes on long lines and also doing trot HP to SI to HP to SI etc.
Trot HP need to make sure to not let him run sideways, use the inside leg to activate the trot and keep him up in front. He finds going sideways easy but need to keep the quality.
Canter HP make sure to really use the corner before to set him up.
Walk piris need to shorten the walk more and use legs alternately but esp the inside leg to activate and then just bring the shoulders round.
Flying changes - right to left were so much cleaner as have been working on being able to change the flexion and bend in the canter without getting a change which means he stays soft over his back and can do a clean change. Definitely still work in progress but huge improvements and so encouraging to see him doing such beautiful right to left changes. Need to just keep the softness and not let him bowl off after each change, keep the balance, esp important for the tempi changes. Still need to work on not having such an obvious change of bend as it makes him wobble and puts his weight on the wrong shoulder. Did manage a line of five 4 time changes worthy of a 7 though!
Did some squares with quarter canter piris - must remember to use inside leg round the corner and just outside leg for positioning but not trying to push him round with the outside leg.
Practised the canter HP to centre line to half 5m circle with quarters in, HP back to centre line and flying change that is in Adv 102 and it's definitely improving. Just need to keep the activity in the 5m circle and not let him back off and suck back at me. Then keep the forwards into the flying change and again not let him suck back at me and hollow. His changes were lovely and straight going straight towards the mirror though.
In the trot worked on using whip on shoulder and alternate legs to try and elevate the trot and get the forehand up moving the trot on and back - need to develop the gears that we have in the canter.
Overall he was much softer. Just need to keep that hindleg active.
Short term aim is to ride through the PSG test in a lesson and need to start looking for an Advanced 100/102 for him - eek!
Have probably forgotten something!
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