Lesson Day
Sep. 21st, 2006 01:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancinghorseEverybody says they want neep, so neep there is.
But first, I hear Shattered Dance has been sighted on the shelves in Canada (the squeeage made it all the way down here, loud and clear). It's quite possible it exists in the US, too. amazon has it for sure, and the sales numbers are rather nice. Thanks to everyone who is helping to keep it in the low four figures! Dare we go for...three?
In other news, fall is not only officially but actually here--not common in southern Arizona on the equinox, believe me. We're having warm, clear days and cool, clear nights; there was a little rain yesterday but it blew off quickly, and this morning was almost chilly. Normally it doesn't do this until October.
Cooler mornings mean livelier horses. Pooka, bless him, has settled in to being ridden without extensive warmup, even with all the distractions. Today was basically just more of same, with the note that he's carrying his neck more horizontally on his own, and it keeps on getting longer. His ears in a relaxed walk are as far away as Capria's, and Capria is a looooong horse.
The riding in between lessons is helping, Teacher said. I have to sit well back with very open front, not let him tip me forward, and make sure my seat is well plugged in. He has to have lots of room in the front assembly. Hands "up."
Today he managed some beautiful walk on the bit, wrapped around my leg and stretched over the whole topline--very important for him at this stage, and the next stage up from the horizontal neck. In trot he tried to replicate the feeling, overdid the engine, and got confoozled (Teacher said he took a quarter of a canter step behind, didn't match it in front, and had to stop and rearrange his legs). As soon as he contracted his neck, he got the weird-neck sensation and started shaking his head. Took him a minute to relax and stretch. I had to sit well back and help him as much as I could. He's rebuilding himself very nicely, but it takes time.
Nothing exciting there, really, just day in, day out, physical rehab work. He's much more willing, balanced, and soft, so clearly we're on the right track.
More lessons Sunday--Pandora gets a turn. Meanwhile there are proofs to read (King's Blood mass market) and mss. to go through and email questions to answer and book to write and horses to feed and...
Horses. Lunch. Yes.
But first, I hear Shattered Dance has been sighted on the shelves in Canada (the squeeage made it all the way down here, loud and clear). It's quite possible it exists in the US, too. amazon has it for sure, and the sales numbers are rather nice. Thanks to everyone who is helping to keep it in the low four figures! Dare we go for...three?
In other news, fall is not only officially but actually here--not common in southern Arizona on the equinox, believe me. We're having warm, clear days and cool, clear nights; there was a little rain yesterday but it blew off quickly, and this morning was almost chilly. Normally it doesn't do this until October.
Cooler mornings mean livelier horses. Pooka, bless him, has settled in to being ridden without extensive warmup, even with all the distractions. Today was basically just more of same, with the note that he's carrying his neck more horizontally on his own, and it keeps on getting longer. His ears in a relaxed walk are as far away as Capria's, and Capria is a looooong horse.
The riding in between lessons is helping, Teacher said. I have to sit well back with very open front, not let him tip me forward, and make sure my seat is well plugged in. He has to have lots of room in the front assembly. Hands "up."
Today he managed some beautiful walk on the bit, wrapped around my leg and stretched over the whole topline--very important for him at this stage, and the next stage up from the horizontal neck. In trot he tried to replicate the feeling, overdid the engine, and got confoozled (Teacher said he took a quarter of a canter step behind, didn't match it in front, and had to stop and rearrange his legs). As soon as he contracted his neck, he got the weird-neck sensation and started shaking his head. Took him a minute to relax and stretch. I had to sit well back and help him as much as I could. He's rebuilding himself very nicely, but it takes time.
Nothing exciting there, really, just day in, day out, physical rehab work. He's much more willing, balanced, and soft, so clearly we're on the right track.
More lessons Sunday--Pandora gets a turn. Meanwhile there are proofs to read (King's Blood mass market) and mss. to go through and email questions to answer and book to write and horses to feed and...
Horses. Lunch. Yes.
