Lisa's Blog post # 31

Update – Cotton needed two injections last week and has had the past 5 days off so I haven’t had anything to write about!

Today I worked him for just a little while since it was his first day back.   We had 2 days of stadium work right before his injections last week so it was time for more dressage.   Did he forget all the progress we had made last time?  No!  He went round for me right on cue at both the walk and trot.  I was able to steer from my seat and he passed nearly all of his tests for self-carriage.  Now we’re cooking!

Then I tried one canter circle each direction.  That made him happy!  We ended up leaping around the circle instead of actually cantering and he scooted away from me upon departure both directions but I wasn’t bothered – he just wanted to stretch his legs a little.  I did want to end on an “obedient” note, however, and wondered if I would have to ride him a lot longer than I had planned in order to get him to come back to me.  Jim and I needed to be somewhere and I needed to get home!

Cotton likes to either do his periscope thing or his bulldozer thing.  Today he was in bulldozer mode.  I find this resistance tactic a lot easier to deal with because he stays round and smooth at least.  When he goes into periscope mode his hollow back makes his gait so choppy that I have a hard time sticking my seat enough to have any influence over him.

When he goes into bulldozer mode I immediately go into water ski mode – he’s just pulling me around with his head down, set against my hand.  To ride him out of that I have to really slow my posting with a strong seat and with my leg wrapped around him.  He brings his head up, softens and comes back to me.  If that isn’t enough to do it, I can just do a little circle and then he is forced to balance himself.  I had to resort to the circle maneuver but it worked brilliantly.  I have him pegged now!

Since he responded so quickly I was able to stretch him a little and end my ride in the ½ hour I had planned.  He was happy.  I was happy.  My husband would be happy because I wouldn’t be late for our appointment.  It was a great ride!