What a week

What a week of weather we have had! Starting the day early has been important to survive the heat and humidity, and the worse than normal horse flies which are attacking me in swarms and the poor horses.

Three of my fairly new students have been concentrating on how to straighten their positions, and to sit on their seat bones. In three weeks the improvement has been obvious and the horses are working rounder in the frame and carry much more weight on the hind quarters. Each rider has had to relearn their way of balancing without relying on their stirrup irons. Taking away the left stirrup iron so there is nothing to push and stiffen against, allows the rider to relax the inner thigh muscle and then drop onto the seat bone on the left, normally the stiffer side of the horse’s back. Perhaps even more, that the horse cannot push you off the left side of his back and encourage you to look down and tip to the right. After a little practise your thigh muscle will allow you to sit and the left rein contact can relax and soften letting your right rein to take more weight. When you get this right, your horse will round up and sit on a steady contact or connection to your elbow.