Bar and the art of the turn

Big brown fuzzy OTTB

Calabar, like many ex-racehorses, has not perfected the art of the tight turn. The turn at the end of the straight-away? Not an issue. He'll even switch leads for it, as he was well-trained to do.

But a small circle? Oh, now that's a different story. And it's a particularly different story to the left.

Ellen was helping us on our trot and our turning using the same exercise--short reins, outside elbow out slightly to support the neck, inside index finger inching up the rein, Dressage whip at the ready. It works pretty well to the right. To the left, especially when he gets tired, not so well. We get drift, major drift, to the outside.

Was it me? I know that my own spinal mis-confirmation twists my pelvis to the right and it is a physical effort to drop my left seat bone into the saddle. A contortion that sometimes escapes me despite all my best efforts.

And, as previously mentioned, Calabar does try.

So last night, after our workout, I asked Calabar to move around me both directions, just at a walk. I pushed his hindquarters while directing his head. He was lovely to the right, loose and crossing over behind beautifully.

To the left (also known as racing direction), we were not so smooth. One step, two steps, then his left front would plant and he would try to rotate around it.

Well that just won't work for all kinds of reasons.

And here is where some knowledge and training on my part would really come in handy. I know I need to lift that left leg somehow and get him off of it, but I am not at all sure how to do that.

He needs to be looser there, of that there is no doubt, and the left has always been the tighter shoulder--despite the bowed tendon being on the right and the compensation that entails. So massage and stretching for sure. But what else? Do I push with my left hip/foot to get him to extend? Do we do more circles? Less circles?

If it were me, I would do gentle extending exercises. If it were me, and it is in some ways, I would keep working it, keep gently moving to build the balance and strength required.

I just need to figure out a way to help him do that.

It appears the lessons never end, but that is why us crazy horse people do this, right?

So much I don't know

There is so much I don't know, and both horses remind me of that--now on a daily basis. Calabar told me yesterday that the reason he had too much bend in his neck was my inside hand was too far up the rein and if I just pulled it back a little bit towards me--hand, not rein--ah, there, perfect arc. Lena Rey told me to relax in the saddle while we cantered, sit back, move with me.. there, that's it.  

I don't have quick answers or responses to every lesson presented to me by either Lena or Bar, and I didn't always have the confidence to even think on my feet, or their feet as the case may be. It's better now--at least with Bar. I know Bar's quirks and moods better, and have enough in my arsenal to redirect him most of the time. Lena, however, is a different story--especially since I haven't ridden her nearly as much over the last year or so.

This week has been my chance to reconnect with her Royal Spottiness and it's been interesting to say the least. 

Lena is much more balanced and sure of her feet than Calabar is. Cheri (of Slide Mountain fame) said Lena always knew where her feet were. Uh, yeah. So what works to distract, er, redirect Calabar -- shifting his attention to his hind feet -- does not work quite the same with Lena. It's not that it doesn't work, it just works a different way. Usually sideways, as a matter of fact.

So with Lena, who can turn on a dime as soon as you think it, the trick is to think it before she does. To take that energy as it starts to build and turn it. Or push it sideways. Get her to use her brain and her body together, not just propel herself forward with great and furious speed--which she has in abundance. It's not that she isn't allowed to run, it's that it needs to be mutually agreed upon and she still needs to pay attention to her rider, not just run like a wild thing. "There are gaits between walk and gallop, Lena Rey." Her natural balance is a wonderful tool, though, since it allows me to pick her up and point her in another direction with an ease and grace Calabar and I do not yet possess. 

Lena's fabulous balance is also teaching me to feel the "right" thing better and (hopefully) that will translate into being able to get there with Calabar, too. Or at least part-way there. I'd be good with that as a next-step.

The more I ride, the more I realize how much I don't know. I could let this paralyze me, but instead I choose to give myself room to grow, room to learn how to be both a better rider and a better horse-woman. 

I think I just heard both horses say, "Phew!"