Video Vault

Saddle time was pretty non-existant during the week last week as one thing led to another combining to keep me out of the tack for the week - to be honest; I doubt the girls minded much especially as they got at new grass on Tuesday evening.
Thankfully I made up for this over the weekend with four fab spins, one each on each day. Starting with Nancy on both occasions as Kika spun on the walker.

(All videos in the post were kindly taken by my mother during Sunday's spin - I am still technologically challenged and haven't figured out how to get rid of sound. It may be best to watch these with computers on mute ;) )

Video I - warming up trot work after N had a brief coughing fit. 

It happens from time to time when we start trot work - doesn't last long, I think it may just be dusty for her when she is used to spending so much time out in the fresh air - happens to Kika the odd time too.

Saturday Nancy & I focused on working our walk, trot & halt.
We are getting better at walk but still struggling with our halts. I feel like I am doing something wrong, but I can't pinpoint what it is in the moment. I don't think I am sinking my weight into the saddle, but doing something really stupid and tensing my body in the wrong places for some unknown reason - I'm still hopeful of getting lessons when the new trainer gets back from her holiday (note-to-self: check when that is!) and have trained eyes on the ground to help me sort myself out.

Video II - trot work on our slightly stronger side

In the mean time I am going to work more voice commands into my ridden work, she responds well to the "slow down" cue sound so I shall attempt to incorporate that into my halting process and start doing more lunge work to brush up on our voice command knowledge.

 Video III - cute serpentine caught on film, am quite happy with this.

Saturday Kika was an absolute star for our second spin in the Ogilvy, she didn't put a hoof out of line as i worked through walk, trot, canter & halt exercises while changing rein, bend & serpentining back and forth across the arena. The same cannot be said for our spin on Sunday when we had someone on hand to film us - but that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes eh?
Most likely a mental undoing on my part as i typically put more pressure on myself and then by consequence ride like a pillock the day after i have a good spin. Kika videos will follow in a post tomorrow as it would be a total youtube overload if i shared them all in this post...#sorrynotsorry

Video IV - a semi decent capture of our bad side canter

Most of Nancy's Sunday spin is being documented in the videos accompanying this post - thank you Mama mia!
After the initial canter in the above video, which was our first right lead canter (my and by consequence her bad side), which went well with a correct strike off etc - it was then followed by a period captured in the following video - wherein I could not set her up properly to strike off on the right lead.

Video V - please excuse my petulant whining during bits of this clip. 

I was tempted to cut it out as I hate the sound of my own voice & the fact that I am being petty and blaming my poor horse for my shortcomings. But i must learn from my mistakes and we will work on suppling up both our right sides.

I have been told in the past that I am all sorts of crooked on this side and am probably all over to one side and tensing making an inside bend improbable for her and as such a correct lead strike off almost impossible. I keep saying that I must get myself straightened out by a chiro, physio osteo of my own - yet still haven't gotten my act in gear to make an appointment *hangs-head-in-shame*
However we did get there on our combined bad side as evidenced in Video VI and a nice canter on our better side in Video VII shows just what my "little" Nancybelle is capable of when her rider isn't getting in her way.

Video VI - I hadn't noticed Nancy's contributions during the ride 

until i heard my mother giggling in this video.

Kika was Kika, she kept making my smile during our spin with her continuous questions and ongoing conversation with me as to whether I really meant what I was asking of her. Having just watched the snippets of video my mother captured of us, it really doesn't look too shabby considering how little work we've strung together this summer. I was perhaps a little harsh on her in my thoughts immediately after our spin as she hadn't been as relaxed and smooth as Saturday's spin - but there was a storm brewing outside and I know I was slightly distracted and on edge pending it's arrival so I am sure this transmitted to her and contributed to a bit more tension on her part.
I would have loved to have been able to see our work on Saturday as it felt lovely on the day - but as is often the way with me. When one day goes well I seem to put unconscious pressure on myself to do as well or better the next day and I rarely succeed - but we didn't go backwards and that in itself is a major positive to take from the day.

 Video VII - left lead canter

Again I am super hopeful that I can organise with the trainer sooner rather than later and perhaps string a lesson plan together so that I can have help from the ground and goals to work towards. :)

Take-aways from these videos:

1. Shorten my reins MOAR - if I think I have them short chances are I don't so I should shorten them again.

2. Lift my hands off her withers/neck, turn my thumbs up and carry them better while bending my elbows - shortening the reins should also facilitate resolution of the poker-elbow issue.

3. I need to put more weight down into my left ankle - the right is borderline ok - but the left is ridiculously awful!

4. I could also do with moving my legs back a smidge - more under me...less armchair.

5. Sit straighter - I look slightly tipped forward - legs back might help this.

6. Help Nancy to carry herself better - she can sneak btv at times.

7. Open to suggestions ;-) - Please help me help myself

Video VIII relaxing cool down to stretch trot

PS: I was riding in my new helmet for the first time in this video - I wasn't sure about the fit so had left the tags on - hence the weird white things by my face *blush*
I had my "old" helmet on hand on the side to swap in case the new one was too small and would give me a headache.
Needless to say the new one fit fine and I took the tags off after the spin - yay for new helmetage & melon protection *grin*