Ch, ch, ch, changes

Lately there has been a hiccup in training with Mazy. She got a little sideways in the shafts the last time I drove her and when things like that happen, it's best to err on the side of caution and back up in training. Fix things so you can move on. 

So we went back to the ground and did some work in long lines. Fix the horse. Yeah she had other ideas. I tried to get video of her getting all worked up in her own head, bunching herself up, biting the air and ignoring everything around her including the person on the other end of the lines. Trying to turn her to go the other direction gets her rattled. She starts by ignoring the gentle tug on the outside rein to straighten herself going across the arena so that we can change reins and go the other way now. And if the lines happen to catch on any of the leather in the keepers on the backstrap and crupper- she shoots forward to get away from it because "Aaaahhhh! It's going to Get me!" Smh.... 

We had to break the cycle and change things up again. So I pulled the backstrap and crupper, tied one of the long lines onto the bit similar to a mecate with a bosal and hopped on. Now things couldn't get snagged and we could work on getting her to chill the hell out. Just walk. Nice big, wide sweeping turns, legs to help move her over or straighten, aaaaand we're walking.... 

Next time I grabbed a saddle and we worked on more lengthing over her back, pushing her more forward and loose rein, long and low, just chillax mare..... And she seemed to appreciate it. Until I asked for a trot. Little to no contact means Go fast! am I right? No honey. No you are not. A lot more breathing and relaxing on my part, don't engage, don't let things escalate, don't buy into her crap. Next thing we know- bam! She's engaged, calming down, reaching up under herself, bigger stride, more free swing to her movement and a lot less shits given to losing her mind on her part. Yay that! 

I know. Stop looking down. This is a Me issue. I'm working on it. 

Yes I forgot to put her boots on. My bad! 

I was able to pull these from video on my cell phone. Really happy to see our progress and check off things I think I need to focus on but really don't. 

As for the saddle, the only one that fit her the last time we did this? Well it doesn't fit like it should but it's better than the others. And for me not liking how I sat in it- I have changed a few things and now it seems a lot more ok. I dropped my stirrups another hole to #8, which is a big difference from #12 or All the way UP how I used to ride. I sit a bit deeper as opposed to being perched up on top. I'm more 'with her movement' instead of trying to find that sweet spot to posting her rushed trot. I'm able to relax my lower leg and spread my toes, less likely to Feel the Burn in my calves as I posted around the arena. Yeah things have certainly changed a lot. For the better thankfully! Lol