Transition Tuesday

Today was a Kika day.

Despite my best intentions of getting both girls worked this evening, things conspired against my getting to the yard in time to do that. Somehow I don't think Nancy really minded *sniggers*

Kika was a great girl, we were far from perfect & had a few discussions as to how she was to carry herself (preferably not like an inverted banana) and what speed we were aiming for - not choppy, but proper strides where possible.

We started warming up with reins long at the walk as i briefly chatted with one of the WS as she cooled down her new horse. After K decided she couldn't possibly approach a scarf/wolly hat concoction along the side where I wanted to leave my jacket - we had our first conversation of the evening and she was fine to side right alongside it from the other direction! *eyeroll* She can be such a silly goon at times. Let the record show we had  o problems passing nor sidling alongside the offensive winter garment at any stage after that. Sometimes she takes the strangest notions...

Awkward-post-spin mirrorselfie

When I'd gathered up my reins and we'd started our trot work, I started our transitions goal for the evening. Walk/trot, then walk/halts asking with my seat and really focusing on encouraging her to relax her neck when we halted and  other stretching down nor tossing her head up in the halt. Square didn't matter, although she can be relatively good at that on her own, however her head/neck is a bigger issue for the moment as it shows a lack of attention on both our parts. Me in not being supportive & as certify enough to let her now we are not done working, that the halt is still part of what we're working on and K blowing me off - but mostly the first part. As 9 times out of 10 I am at fault - not her, although she will not offer me the halt I want unless I make it clear to her. Gotta love horses that make us better riders - 100% ♡

Is it wrong to drool a little over how good I think she looks?!

We mixed in some trot demi-volts (S shape comprised of two semi circles) and walk ones to regroup when she hollowed at the trot. We did lots of other circles and changes of rein by the diagonals & a couple serpentines. When the trot was good, I asked for canter/trot transitions. 90% were really smooth transitions up, however the first few hollowed out as she got a little hot, maybe her defence when/if i didn't get the tempo quite right to help her use herself better. Downward transitions from canter to trot are a bit of a shambles as i don't support her enough cos I'm a muppet who pitches forward so she hollows a couple of trot strides before we re find out groove. 

Most of the upwards transitions were really lovely, even if i do say so myself *blush*

#awkward-human

I changed things up with some trot/halt transitions and walk/trot, walk/halt and more demi-volts plus serpentines, changes of rein etc - to keep us from getting predictable as smart mare is too clever for me and if i do the same thing too many times she will preempt what's coming & hollow or get hot and we loose the run of ourselves. 

Although we are a long way off consistent and nowhere near perfect, we have come a long way. This time last year the hat/scarf incident at the start of our spin would have set her off & she would not have been able to concentrate in that area of the arena for the whole time (ask me how I know *eyeroll*) - Kika version 2point-whatever-we-are-on-now is such a superstar in my eyes.