# The Road to First Level



## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Great first post in your journal. Looking forwards to reading more about your progress


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*10/25/13 Holy smokes, lets blow up why don't we!? Jeez O, really!!*

Ooo someone thinks using there weaker hind leg means he can throw fits .... Big not okay fits :shock:

Hard to feel bad for the guy when you know it's just him trying to get me to fight him, to forget everything iv been working so hard on...such as let go with my hands, only use for contact and half halts...to open my chest more and keep my hip angle open with relaxed knees... Oh boy was he fighting just getting off my inside leg and into the outside rein. 

We had a talking to.....leaping into the air and yanking the reins out of my hands to straight away hunch his back.... Big no no..... He worked himself into a sweat.

It was all I could do not to start ripping molars out just for my poor backs sake, and shoulders....and neck. Lol

But I just talked out loud, yelled, breathed did everything I could to not get into that fight....

Lots of inside leg, very very steady outside rein. Half halting big every other stride, big bumps with my inside leg....breathing, relaxing my inside rein but not giving it away, opening my hips and knees up more to free up his shoulders for 10 meter trot circles to make him get on that outside rein, off my inside and keeping his hind end active but coming around with my outside leg... So many 10 meters....so many half halts but you know what, we got it. He took a chill pill and decided maybe he would like to get on with the ride other then circle circle, change through a figure eight and back to the circle circle lol

He got really tense through my downward transitions from our fun canter exercise but I was able to stick to my guy, if the first 10 meter was not good enough no rush to go back out and canter, no. We would circle again, my legs quietly on him new outside rein there for him and inside relaxed....not given away again but not pulling him around at all either. Our transitions up where just that, up cause he was now sitting into the canter! A couple soft more rounds and they where not so bouncy and bit flowed in upward smooth way, really sitting really using his back and able to get two downward trot transitions without with even thinking of spazzing... This was both ways did we get two correct up and down transitions....he was very much done after that....only a 35 minute ride but felt much longer...

What a snot he can be when he decides the work is getting to hard and he'd rather be lazy and slack off...

I feel for me to stick to my gut, not get big and angry like I VERY much felt like doing was big for me....we got through our first really big battle on using that right inside hind...I think one reason he fought so much is because I have been really working on keeping my inside hand as quiet as I can without throwing the reins away and keeping a soft contact.....and my outside rein stay put and insist he sit with my inside leg....no more hmm im good or no not this circle look at the sky!! Or screw you let's just collapse on the forehand.... 

This is going to be a big hump in our training to get up and over but once we do I think things will be great!!

I am so pleased we got to end on a good note....he was a happy dopey eared slobbery mess when I got off....begging for cookies since he sucked it up and was a big boy!! 

All I could hear all while he was pulling this baby evasive crap was my trainer....in my head....screaming don't let him just bully you!! Get him on that outside rein NOW....Do that 10 meter again, Get into those corners! Release the inside, relaxe your lower legs. Half halt!! :shock: I was so ready to be done when he was fighting, just because my body has not been jolted around that much since my car accident:-( 

But today we got through it. Tomorrow we will see what we have... 

Here are some amusing pictures of the snotty dork...
I am off for a hot shower and then ice on my back with a side of extra strength Tylenol so I can get right back to it tomorrow!

What I'm so warm and cute bundled up in my fleecy getting grass!









I'm sorry for throwing a fit.....it's hard to use my butt....really hard!









Please tell me I am good, I tried really hard after getting spanked and going on a million circles!









And this is how I found him for my lesson the other day, no no really it's Ollie not a walking mud cake.....okay maybe a walking mud cake with two ears and four legs....:wink:


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*10/27/13 Thank You for Finding your Brain!*

Exactly as the title says!
Thank god!!
It's been a hectic day and so glad I got on him tonight. He wanted to really go backto the last ride of being rude, evasive and defensive as all get out but I just talked to him in a very positive voice, cheering him on from in the saddle and correcting him verbally as well as physically (quickly, release and move on) a tap from the whip, thump from the leg and a "ahh No!" Allay once popped ip him back to reality each time...still was naughty but compared to Fridays nightmare of a ride much progress!! One step at a time!

I really warmed him up a lot at just the walk, lots of changes of direction, pushed for more within our shoulder in, he taught it alright but settled in with my positive talking and presistence....lots of persistence, :shock:

Right now we are doing fabulous clockwise at walk and trot...
Change rein and wow....he does not like getting on board with this whole chapter of SIT and ACTIVATE that right hind leg....really instigating me to fuss and try to pull molars out with that right rein....buy no I must stay on course, strong, fight the urge...:evil: **** it is so hard sometimes....getting so caught up in just 10 strides I can't see 15 strides ahead of me....something I'm really having to work on for myself, breathing weight down, circling on a 15-10 meter asking him to stay straight and keep the haunches following around and shoulders open and free....set up again for shoulder in....just circle always better then getting into it....just circle....maybe this is something I should rehearse before bed and when I get up like a prayer?! Haha

Our canter, wow today we hardly had to work on it, much more engaged to sit and trot much more balanced steps right away and off my inside leg, very much into my outside rein and switching inside to outside on our 10 meter trot to rebalance was quicker, smoother for me! Going into canter after our trot circle we didn't POP so much but more so eased into it much smoother, not slower or more trot steps but more connected...inside hind, belly up, shoulders free, arms breathing and following with poll soft and throat-latch open and even contact in both reins...able to look up around my circle, able to think ahead to my next movement....

At the end we got a great stretchy trot. Over his back into the hands evenly, shoulders, ribs and hips like play dough.


Very very pleased with today's ride!!
Riding again in the morning before work in the afternoon.
:wink:


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

Here is a rather good picture of the boy after today's good workout!!
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z380/OliverTwist2012/Ollie/image_zpsbba11d67.jpg


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

Bummed cause I was too sick to ride yesterday before work!!
But today I'll be out riding!!

Very exciting news....Beth-Ness is coming for a day of lessons on nov. 16th!!!
Whoo!

That gives me right around 3 weeks to get ready for that and really pin point what I want to work on!!

Eeee, so happy!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Stoked to be reading this new journal. Oliver is lovely! I particularly like the last picture you posted. He's so handsome!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*10/29 more canter and a real lengthening across the diagonal!!*

Such a good boy today!! Really kicked his right ribcage and activated that right hind today!! Progress...he wasn't happy but I need more and it needs to be more consistent in the contact... So I pushed...talk to him and drove him up into that bridle without using my inside rein!

He was fabulous at walk shoulder in, bumped him up to trot and played with shoulder in and shoulder fore, only asked fore 4-6 strides of shoulder in and back to shoulder fore, putting a 10 meter trot before I asked for the shoulder in so he would be a little better set up and confirmed on that outside rein.

In our canter work I decided to play around with the exercise to strengthen and build stanima while also keeping him on his toes. :wink:

I started out doing the exercise like I normally do but the second time after trotting our 10 meter I pushed him to stay in canter on the 20 meter circle two rounds instead of on, then when we did come down I sat so deep and got him to dance around the 10 meter on his hind legs and evenly in both hands off my inside leg...did the two canter circles again then two trot circles and pushed for three circles in the canter, he broke so I pushed him for a fourth and he stayed with me and came down much quicker and kept coming around!! Then back around for just one canter circle! He was like no mom I can keep going!! This fun! we did that the other way, was harder n the right lead of course but not as bad as I thought it was going to be!

We did out leg yields at the trot, not the most through we've gotten but not bad....

I worked hi, a solid 5-10 minutes on trot lengthenings across the diagonal, he broke into canter once so I really worked on timing my half halts with my bump of the spur and sitting the trot, big open trot rythem... He really came back in the corners well for me, did brace or putter out on him, powered through but stayed light and balanced!! A lot of fun!!:wink:

We have a lesson tomorrow :wink:
Very much looking forward to it!!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*11/3/13 & 11/4/13 schooling rides*

Well its been a hectic week for me and I have just not gotten the time to sit down and post a progress picture and write down a little of what we have done in our last two rides!
No riding today or tomorrow, today its gross and rainy and tomorrow I am working early and not getting off until late :-(

Ill start with Sundays ride:
We where stiff, and locked up in the jaw. I kept it short. drilled our canter exercise and worked on softening his jaw. Not a whole lot was done after a couple days off and I was just so tried from my new job. Kept it short and simple so I didn't get in a argument with my hands and his face haha

Yesterday, Monday's ride I worked him a bit harder, drilled our canter, worked the walk and trot leg yields and really focused on keeping the neck and shoulders straight, I tend to hold far to much with my inside mostly left hand and create a bend from his poll to inside shoulder and it just all falls apart as I am sure you can imagine So i had to breath more with my core while supporting him with my upper outside thigh and bump/half h-alt/bump with the inside to outside leg/rein. 
He sure tattled on JUST how much I was using that left inside rein and not just supporting lightly...MY BAD... 

I lessend my hold, had to shove my hand a inch or two up more for the first couple times to get my brain to tell my hand to let go of his inside jaw....

"why are you not pulling my head around anymore....what do you mean go straight....there's no resistance on that inside rein...no!! *Proceeds to grab bit and leap through the air plunging into the outside rein.....* WOW REally O?! No...just NO...Lets not be 4 years old...just go off that leg slowly and quietly....:think:

We eventually got it nice and smooth with more then 2 baby steps over into that outside rein....my body just messes us up all over the place after I FIX it....BAD ME! BAD!

Worked our canter exercise twice, now that we added a full lap around the arena if he is balcned (falls out of blance 1/2-3/4 of the arena and gets all lopsided as if we are going to switch in the back....Needs work haha:shock: A LOT. Still...

Sadly the weather is NOT on our side to go ride this week and I can only hope the arena isn't a sloppy mess by Friday morning.... ugh

Anywho, here is a progress report picture...from yesterday :wink:


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## CandyCanes (Jul 1, 2013)

Loving this journal... I love the way he looks extremely peed off in the last picture  
Sweetie!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

Oh yes...we where not so adorably happy after this ride....we don't leap in the air in protest to working.....simply just NO....I was honestly not expecting that much or sudden of a tantrum from him as I was trying to correct myself and slowly show him there was no inside rein to hold onto....about 5 minutes after that we decided simple trot leg yields off that left leg where do-able...huh...funny how that works haha....He groaned all the way back to the barn telling me just what he thought about THAT....haha I had to brush new knowledge bumps off his rear....hehe


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*What, I rode in the arena!?*

WOW its a amazing! I rode in our arena, no rain, no frozen ground, warmer cloud cover and a very quiet day at the barn!!

Felt so good! I love the trails but after awhile after going on the same one over and over in the freezing cold it gets a little old!! 

I am pretty sure Oliver was just as happy to get back into the arena cause he leg yielded and bent, went straight, shoulder was coming around with his haunches and he wanted to TROT! WORKING TROT!:shock: 

It's as if he new I found out the dates of our first few shows together this last week and with more motivation to really work hard he was like:

"mom we have things to do and places to go, get on board or Ill be the only one in the arena working and can watch!" 

This little horse amazes me all the time, when I least expect it.
I cant wait to get back out tomorrow morning after morning chores at the barn down the road!! Then Sunday I am taking the Irish baby and the Friesan mare that are both my trainer's and we are going to our out of town trainer and doing lessons! I cant wait to watch and get pictures!!

More tomorrow afternoon!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Beware: ADORABLENESS!*

Snapped these yesterday after our ride!!
More tomorrow?!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*1/25/14*

Life has not been so kind to me, After O tossing me about two weeks ago now I got the cold hat was going around at work from the little kids and on top of that having girl issues body wise....feeling rather gross...UGH 
So needless to say I hired a friend to help get Ollie going after my fall so he wouldn't just SIT in a pasture....after all we have training level and first level to show this year!!! 

So with my hectic work schedule we are going have him ridden a total of 5-6 days a week from now until shows start!!

Good news is I have now gotten my lesson dates for Beth!! So excited, 19th and 20th of FEBRUARY!! Whoo Need to get my booty in gear this week!!!

I also need to get the chiro out for Ollie, I think with the time off, the freezing temperatures he has some places outa wack, poor dude!

Off to go set up my rotations at work, later!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*New video, Great Canter work done!*





 
Video speaks for its self! PROUD MAMA
Not me riding but a friend who is helping with him


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*So somthing is wrong...starting to problem solve*

So Oliver has been acting up, as in in pain, sore or somthing is not right with him acting up....we thought at first it was him coming back to work after i gave him a break....nope.

He is holding his tail differently when ridden, much more sensitive/touchy. He simply cannot be cantered under saddle currently for the fact that mentally he cant control himself, something mentally and or physically is going on. 

Both my trainer and the gal who has been helping with him all notice it, all see it and are brain storming. My trainer is the sweetest gal ever and knows I am tight on money with two clinic lessons coming up I cant afford a whole lot so she gifted me her gift certificate of a hour long massage for him... This gal we both know well she does amazing work in helping pin point what is sore, what is tight, how it makes him feel when moving and helps give us homework to keep massaging him.

We also just scheduled for a great chiropractor to come out on the 10th, so Oliver will be getting evaluated and worked on and more problem solving until then.

For now we feel he can be continued to be worked so we can see how he moves and evaluate his body for any changes before and after being worked.

Riding is kept simple. transitions at walk/halt and trot/walk, must be correct and forward coming from the hind leg meaning I don't fiddle with my hands but relax my hands. Today we had an amazing trot once I got my body to relax.....first ride since coming off...took a good 15 minutes....Poor guy.

We are lunging him after our rides to work on the canter. So him that when he goes into canter his face wont get pulled on, as I got in that bad habit thus the working on simple transitions up and down to relax my arms and hands forward without giving away ANY contact.....my brain is going nuts with this concept..

We have a ways to go but he is slowly getting there, I figure after a couple weeks and with massage and chiro work we will have sorted this out and moving forward.

Next few weeks will be hard and slow but worth it in order to be correct and ride safely so that we can go to a clinic so that we can show so that we can be happy. 

ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME!!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Post Massge, not what we thought we might find...*

So yesterday was a rush of a day, I was able to sleep in, get all my barn chores done and do a super job grooming up Ollie. He is already shedding like crazy!!! 

So the massage theripist did an amazing job!!

She commented more then once that he was different then a lot of the horses she works on. He settled right into her hands, relaxed and excepted the body work as if to say yes mom, this is exactly what I needed, thank you for listening!

She also mentioned more then once how she was surprised by him pushing back into her with equal pressure on his really tight spots after moving around a little I get her just where he needed her hands! Truly amazing to watch the communication of the two go back and forth with no words just body language and listening to him. 

He not only liked her but loved her and didn't hesitate to tell her he needed more work on his right shoulder done. She had gone to move on to his forearm then to his neck and he turns his head, rested his head against her shoulder then positioned himself where his shoulder was in front of her hands again then looked at her again and nudged her into his shoulder...

Our horses have an amazing and beautiful way of communications with us should we remain open and listening wit not just our ears but our eyes and touch and gut feeling. 

I felt so at peace seeing that reaction to the massage. I did my job in listening to my horse and in return he told me thank you by being so good and litter ally helping the massage go along. 

It was very intresting to play apart in as Oliver has never been the kind of horse to be mouthy...but two times when the massage theripist reached a spot that was sore when she applied pressure he slowly stuck his nose in my face and not to bite me but sure did sure show me his teeth and open and closed them very slightly against my face/neck. As soon as I said no, I know it hurts we are going to help it feel better just breath bubba...he'd lower his head and take a big deep breath out and start licking and chewing. 

I told this to the gal working on him and asked was that a very right spot and she just replied with yes and the communication below teen you and this horse is in believable. She noted that many of her first time clients would have over reacted and swated their horses face away but I remained calm and talked to him and he listened and relaxed again...

Doing good by your horse, listening, problem solving and seeing the result of good work is truly amazing no matter how many ones you see it done. That good feeling inside of you because you made someone you care about and love feel better when thy do not speak our language is the best feeling in the world.

So your probably wondering what it is that we found throughout this massage!
We had a suspicion that he would be found to be tight and sore in his back and hind end from the harder work we are asking, making him do more of the work then me...

Nope, not the case! She found him to yes be the normal amount of tight and got him loosened up and relaxed but not anything that would lead to him acting up the way he has been. 

She checked him for actuated sure points that would indicate his ulcers flaring up and found no hints and we where all a little shocked at that. She checked his back for saddle soreness and said she loved the way his back felt and my saddle must fit very well and he must like it a lot! 

What she did find was his shoulders where very very tight, painfully tight. That his forelegs where rock solid....she put a hand on it and told me to feel and when I realized what I was feeling was stone hard muscle I was shocked and felt so bad. She spent a lot of time working in the places on both sides of him and got them to release tension and and get we blood flow in there to help.

This is also where she was applying so mush pressure that she was surprised when he pushed into her to add more and helped her get the right places. 

These findings explain why he was stepping the way he was, not able to fully reach, stretch. It hurt, it was to tight!!

We also found on the left side that the hind leg, inside of it in the upper region above the hock was very tight... Like rock hard too. She was able to get good blood flow and relaxe that muscle a bit. This would explain his hard canter direction to the left.... When we listen and do things like this we find the answers to or problems when we are riding...it comes full circle and makes sense.

So that last part that we found was very wet tight, and will be tight more often with the work we ask of him is his neck, the crest of his neck was very tight and we where able to loosen this up as well.

I have my homework, to work on his legs and shoulders and neck before and after each workout... 

I might invest in some lavender oil to help him relaxe more at the beginning of the workout since in sure metallurgy he's going to think this going to hurt all over again and I can't do this... But we'll wait and see on that.


Anyways that was yesterday's findings.
We will still go through with having the chiropractor out to see what else we an do to help him. Luckily that's not till next monday so not all at once with all the body work.

I'll be going out tomorrow and working him an getting pictures of I can.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Video is looking great!

Glad to hear that the massage was such a success ;D Keep us updated!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Things are really looking up, happy girl*

I am happy to announce I am not as stressed out as I previously was....even just from last night!

I got my new spring coaching schedule and it allows me to ride 6 days a week should I need to work him that much! At the same time I am working later evenings so I get more hours in turn! SO its a big win win for everyone! I also will have the flexibility to work more birthday parties so that I can get more money on the side easier for out of town clinics and summer clinics with our California trainer who visits 2-3 times in the summer! 

I was informed I was not needed at the barn I was working at anymore....that it would be temporary....but literally left me with no notice so I couldn't find more hours.....big bummer!!

So i took back the janitor job I had before last month hen I decided I needed to take a break and try more hours at the gym... so now I will be working 32 hours at the gym a week with added on birthday parties at 8 extra hours-16 extra hours a week.... so things are going to be looking up here shortly! 

Now this stupid cold needs to exit my body...the cold snap can go away and the sun can start warming things up please.

Oliver is shedding like none other and is making me a absolute mess when I groom him haha The days are slowly getting longer/lighter out.....

Today is the first day in a long time that I have been truly overall excited about spring and riding and our current summer time goals!

Pictures tomorrow, if I don't know forget lol:wink:


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Post Chirpractor visit (monday 10th)*

Ollie got seen by our chiropractor yesterday afternoon, to rule out anything that maybe causing him any pain or restriction while we work him and ask for more work.....

Last week we did a massage to see if we could find anything there...Shoulders very tight, fore arms very tight and neck a bit tighter then expected. We checked for ulcer indicators and his back for and sore spots from my saddle. His hind end was tight but not more then expected and worked on that.... overall not to bad.... concluded to his weight transfer being a front engine horse and his previous training taking a toll on his body... (we are working on changing him from front to hind engine driven horse) :wink:

So then we also had scheduled an appointment with the chiropractor the next week, being yesterday afternoon. He mentioned he was tight in some odd places...kept feeling and working on him and then found that his hips where rotated forward and down in a extended position.... so he could not sit and transfer weight like he should to correctly activate his hind end for cantering....
The sound of everything popping back into place was well :shock: LOUD....
In fact this smiley face is the same look Oliver gave when his hips and hind end popped into place :shock:!

My trainer from outside the stall heard it!!!

No wonder hi was tail swishing more, and couldn't canter without spazzing out! Poor guy!!

I knew, both my trainer and I knew something was up!
WOW!

So he said he should be just fine now, let him have that day off, expect him to think it will still hurt to canter and work on getting him to relax and let go and trust me slowly again when it comes to really using his hind end for trot and canter..... He said I should feel a big difference in his movement once he figures out his hips wont hurt him anymore!!

Now all I need to do is get his teeth floated and no excuses for naughty behavior other then a annoying evasion! 

So happy I took the time and had more then one person work on him over time! Well worth the money and time off spent! Now we can get back to work!

I posted a picture....now imagine if what is in the circled area was STUCK down and forward in a extended position....this image really helped me see things clear!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Lesson Date mix UP*

Ugh so frustrated....I had requested a day off after my normal day off in advance when I learned about our haul clinic.....today I find out from a call that indeed the date was a mix up and instead of the lessons (over night stay) being on the 19th/20th its the 20th/21st.....THURS/FRI not WED/THURS.... 

Now I am scrambling to find a sub for my ONE class on Friday afternoon....UGH Stressed all over again :-(


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Weather VS Work......Poor Ollie*

SO its been so crazy, beyond busy with work! 

I haven't had time in two weeks to ride poor Ollie.....not since before his adjustment!! Both the Weather, Ice/Snow/Rain has made it too dangerous to go out in the arena.

So this is both frustrating and not so bad at the same time. I choose to look at it in the way of; even though I have not been able to ride before y two day clinic this week hes had no bad riding.....this way when we go to our lessons we can start off right, see what problems we have...work on them and two trainer eyes coming back yet again from time off is better then none.....covered inclosed arena is also very nice to keep in mind...

So there is no use in wasting emotion on this!! 

I will be going and spending all day with him tomorrow, finishing up his clip job, pulling that mane of his, washing legs, face and tail...oh boy that tail will be fun....and doing a very light ride on him and possible a longer hand walk to get him moving...should the arena still be under water.


I am looking forward to these lessons, Video/pictures and Ollie loves both trainers so much that coming back to work should be very fun and exciting!:wink:


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*O-M-G What an AMAZING Clinic!*

This girl right here could not be any happier! The last two days of riding have been spectacular! Fantastic! Beautiful! Rich in progress and learning!! 

Yesterday we established our big trot- working trot. The trot that will get us 7 and 8's in the show arena. Forward. Pushing through. Even contact through both reins. My body was correct and really helped him stay correct. Each circle improved and we got more and more steps of this amazing troot put together and when I had to "fix" it all I needed was a half halt and inside leg and relax to move forward again all in one to two strides and we where back to this amazing floating trot where his back was up and I could feel the swing and our rhythm was amazing! I could get lost in that trot but had to remember to ride every stride yet also let me carry himself when we both where so in sync with each other!

We also got A LOT of walk done in the first day. Really focused that first day on filling I the contact space with drive, stepping him into it and filling it out with his neck, getting him seeking the contact, holding it and pushing through! all I can say is WOW.

We had a lot of head shaking.....maybe not so MUCH but that is because he was learning what doors where open and closed and when I closed one he tried to open another until he found that we have really one door....forward. Contact. Pushing. Using that hind leg to step through and use his back in a new way.

Simply put I am on cloud 9.
I am also back at work so I can not post photos yet, not until tonight :-( But I cant wait!


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Videos and pictures from our Clinic *

I will attach the link to the thread I did about our lesson as well as the critique thread  

Here are the photos and the videos

Note the second video we had a helicopter fly over the arena..


Video 1:
Trotting Left 2/21/14 Beth Lesson - YouTube

Video 2: Walk/Trot Left 2/21/14 Beth Lesson - YouTube



Note that going left is our hard way right now


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

Going to ride in the morning...lunging first... I really want to canter. I have to get my body correct before canter. think canter and just canter and ride the canter, push in the canter let my arms move with him and half halt every other stride with my outside rein and supporting through my inside calf and thigh while keeping weight in my inside.... and my chest open and looking around my circle and as soon as it feel tense TROT....BAM trot and push into trot and trot with meaning......wow.....I'm tired just from thinking things over and over through my head


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## SullysRider (Feb 11, 2012)

I don't ride dressage, just look through the threads as I like to practice it. But I did notice you ride in a chair seat, which looks to be due to the fact that the saddle you are riding in looks way off balanced. It is pommel high, either from being too narrow or wrong tree shape.

ETA Look at your two first photos posted above, they illustrate both points quite clearly.


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

My saddle fits and rides just fine..... its been looked at by others 
its all me not my saddle


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

*Feel much better, whoo spring is here*

So spring is here, had a beautiful sunny day yesterday- sadly I was stuck at work most of the day but was able to sleep in and woke up with no super sore through, I could talk better and my neck felt better too! Great day. 

I opted to sleep in due to the fact I was feeling better.

I am so over being sick every day then feeling better for 2-3 days and getting super sick again...since before my birthday in Nov. 

Oliver got to hangout in the sun all day while I worked on helping my body and working. Today is MUCH colder and greyer but I am hoping it will stay dry for me to ride this evening when I get off of work! 

LUNGE LUNGE LUNGE......then ride.


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