Brisk Trot

I stepped off the plane today into drop-dead gorgeous California weather. I don't know if it was the chill in Bozeman or the stale airport air that made the weather seem so extraordinary, but it was that perfect temperature for breeches and a tee shirt.

Straight from the airport to a prescheduled lesson on Ellie- Emma taught me today in our covered outdoor ring (the big outdoor is still too muddy from the weekends rain).
When Emma came out I relayed that in the, about 4, times I've ridden Ellie since the first of the year we've 1. stuck with our tried and true walk trot exercise, 2. the head tossing has gone away, 3. she is like molasses and without constant, nagging leg she peters out step after step.
And then I remind her again that I've only ridden four times in the past month and a half.

Now Emma has a British accent. So it's pretty hilarious that after I finish my diatribe she looks at Ellie and says in British baby talk- "Ellie- you're a liar. Stop lying to your Mum." Apparently they do not have the "slow as molasses" problem in their working relationship.

With that we get to work and planned to add in some trot to canter short transitions in the same vein as our walk to trot transitions. And true to form I'm huffing and puffing away trying to keep Ellie going forward.
Bless Emma's heart- she stops me and takes my spurs, which had been resting low on my boot to avoid accidental, leg fatigue poking and adjusts them up. "Give her a good poke and make her carry herself," she says.
Sure enough, that inch adjustment was just what I needed to get her engaged. So off we went- performing leg yields, circles, and canter transitions.
Additionally we worked on taking more of a feel of her mouth and getting her to engage the back end while staying soft in the front.
A productive lesson on a much more forward horse.

Snapchat courtesy of Lexi