Practicing what I've seen ...

Went with Susan today and audited a Gigi Nutter clinic today. Gigi is a fairly big name local dressage trainer ... she was fantastic! I must admit, I was a little intimidated when we walked up and the first thing I hear is, "Remember, your longitudinal flexion affects your vertical flexion!" I went, "Uh, NO!" But, that first lady was doing passage, tempis, etc. I'm NO WHERE NEAR that, lol. Saw some great displays of things I have no idea how to do; shoulder-right, shoulder-fore, haunches in, half pass, tempis. I watched, and I listened, and I drooled. Then I decided there was NO good reason why my horse doesn't have a decent bend in his neck and a stellar walk to canter transition. So, went home and worked on it, lol!

Put him back in the draw reins for the 2nd time in his life; he worked HARD! Felt good; nice flexion in his neck, and didn't lean in at the canter. He did, however, lean on my hands and get a little "pulley" on me. Worked on flying changes with limited success ... before those will get easy, he needs to get his hind end underneath him. He has a HARD time WALKING on contact. Wants to lag behind my leg, and when I get after him, jig. Attempted the walk to canter transition both ways and while it was BETTER, it still wasn't perfect. He DID do a beautiful trot to canter transition both ways, though:) He has a lovely leg yield and shoulder-in. Attempted haunches-in, but not sure we got it since no one has ever taught it to me. I worked on sitting BACK, and sitting DOWN at the canter ... there's probably some no stirrup work in my future. Currently breaking in my 12 year old tall boots, and might ride in them tomorrow, yay! (insert extreme sarcasm here) More than likely will go out on a hack tomorrow since I worked him pretty hard in the draw reins today. Good boy, though!