Warm up Routine – Getting ready for Trailblazers Championships
Walking square with turn about the forehand in each corner – was better today after the few practices we’ve had since our last lesson – much more free/not so sticky! Keep thinking forward and use the outside leg to control the amount of turn. This helps with connection and engagement – suppling through the back and working from the hindleg. Can use leg yield on the straight sides too.
Trot – use the “1st gear” to ensure engagement and to make sure I have him between the leg and hand. Go back to thins if I need to get that feeling back or to explain something to him. Ride the square in trot and make sure he’s really straight on the straight lines, and flexing for the corners.
Leg yield – making sure no neck bend – flexion from the poll, finish the movement riding the quarters ‘through the wall’.
Shoulder in – straighter in the neck – imagine him between 2 chopsticks from my hands to his head, make sure he’s not giving me too much bend in the neck.
Medium trot – let the neck out – ride into the space.
Canter – Remember the feel of the rising canter – make sure the canter matches the trot!
Medium Canter – BUILD IT; ride the neck forward; show the transitions
G&R in canter (Überstreichen) – squeeze with the knees to prepare; ride forward into the connection on the retake.
Free walk to medium walk – still struggling with this so do a few in the warm up! Think shoulder in when gathering him in (I can ride the walk then). Feel like I’m using my heels to ride him into the contact – rather than pulling him back in… Imagine making his eyes bulge by squeezing the heels, without overriding!
N.24 – 10m loop in from the track – feeling of riding to the judge at C, before riding back to the quarter marker. Practice this in the warm up.
N.27 – change of rein in canter with trot at the quarter marker – Trot on the diagonal line JUST BEFORE the marker. Make sure the corner is balanced!
Ride with as much impulsion as I can! Show him off!