Being Wanless-ified

So my trainer audited a Mary Wanless clinic, and has been using all these new tricks to torture me... uh, make that make me ride better.  My stirrups have been shortened one hole (she threatened two, but thankfully reconsidered!) and I've been working on riding in a positions that feels so alien - aiming to ride with almost a permanent "heels away" position.  The key for me, though, is working on rotating what Wanless calls the spiral muscle in the pelvis/leg (actually the sartorus).  Doing that really helps release something in my seat, and allows Indy to expand so much more at the trot... so much so that I can barely sit it, but I'm working on that part!  It's fun and this method seems to really click for me.  Being not exactly gifted in the athletic department naturally, I sort of need all the help and theory and explanation I ca get!

So apparently we can actually bend and leg yield...

In the bitless bridle, Indy is much more willing to do bending and leg yielding exercises.  He tends to become braced against the bit in a bitted bridle, so you have to work against that.  In the bitless, once he realizes he isn't going to accidentally get yanked with the bit, he is much more receptive to this.  Worked on really getting him to bend through the corners and on baby leg yields down the long sides.  The idea that the shoulders have to lead really resonated and helped me be more effective with my outside rein.  It's such instinct to try to prevent a drift towards the rail, you have to let the shoulders lead while still preventing it turning into a drift.  In my next lesson, I'm going to put my spurs on for the first time on him - I'm happy that my legs are secure enough that it's an option!  With a large horse and me with my not-very-strong legs... I think the spurs will be helpful!  Excited to try again on Tuesday.

Another great lesson

Indy looking cute in the cross-ties.

Even though my muscles are burning today, I had a great ride yesterday.  Did a lot of leg yields, baby bends, and some bending into slightly raised walk poles - all things that were difficult to do with a bit because he tends to brace against it, it was much easier to do and he seems a lot more receptive to the bitless bridle in general.  Interesting to learn how I need to ride with it, still a process but definitely coming along very well.  He's just so much fun in general that I sort of feel that we owe it to him to ride him the best way for him right now.

Going Bitless

On Friday I had my first ride in a true bitless bridless (a Micklem bridle)

obviously, not Indy

It was fascinating how easy it was to ride in this and how much didn't change about the way I needed to ride Indy.  Actually, not having the bit for me to interfere with allowed me to work on a lot more lateral work than I have done recently with him because I couldn't over-rely on the bit, thus had to actually correctly apply the leg and seat aids and he couldn't get braced and stiff.  All in all, it is really interesting to explore things with an honest, safe horse.  He obviously liked the bitless option, too, he always seems pretty darn content with life but I really sensed that yesterday.

Saint Indy (seriously)

So today I (and thus, Indy) started off really sluggish.  I was tight and stressed out, hence he was not moving forward.  Once I got him forward, we worked a lot on working on as long a rein as possible, basically at the buckle, and having him respond to seat aids, we did a bunch of lengthenings/shortenings, and just trying to get him to remain on the rail and basically get in the corners even on a very long rein.  He was wonderful and I love how he's so adjustable through the seat.

Mia said something I'd been thinking before: he has a QH personality in a TB body.  He likes to be ridden like a QH: don't mess with my face, I can take care of this, I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing because I think I'm supposed to do it.  Such a good guy, and I'm so privileged to ride him!

Better late then never: photos

 So the orange pony was a pumpkin for Halloween... complete with vine and stem.  For only being on the property a few weeks before this, he was a good sport about everything!

He's being kind of a pill lately so I'm back to just riding (Saint) Indy, who does amazing things for your confidence and abilities!  Working on my two-point a ridiculous amount hoping that I can get strong enough to hold on to his canter stride... I love this horse, but the whole 16hh horse with long legs/big stride and 4'11" rider combination is interesting.

But he's a good sport about everything, even if he does insist on sliming me every ride.  He so is not the slobbery type, and yet...

Almost there, and Indy is a saint...

Over the past few weeks we've really been working on securing my half-seat so I can feel secure cantering Indy finally!  The whole tall horse with long legs and short rider with short legs and tight muscles combination is interesting, to say the least.  I've really never (consciously, at least) worked on my half-seat this much, either.  I'm trying to remember how I rode the hunter ponies in college and I really don't think I cantered in a half-seat at all?  But we've been doing tons of transitions between half-seat/two-point and the posting trot, and a bunch of leg yields to get bend, all things I'll need to successfully canter.

Today we did a neat exercise where instead of riding a reverse, we rode a half circle into a straight line and another half circle the other direction - a sort of serpentine but going the opposite direction from where a serpentine usually goes.

And I have to say (again) that Indy is truly a saint.  It took me forever to mount today (it's hard when you can't see your stirrup clearly and can't judge any distances!) and he stood completely still for me.  Another of Mia's physically compromised students taught him how to move his hindquarters over with a gentle poke in the hips... wonderful!  This horse is great to be around and so much fun to ride.  Any horse who puts up with me and other beginners/physically compromised people deserves so much praise I can't even describe.  Love him, and have the utmost respect for him.