Rideability - Satan's Exercise

So there are a few holes that I need to fix to continue progressing through the levels. You see, since Legacy is kinda talented, I got away with some things up until this point. So last week in my lesson with Danny we focused a lot on this bending line exercise...let's call it's Satan's S-Curve Exercise. Let's just say that it was a mess and I will be spending the next few months of my life perfecting this. The intent is to jump in quietly, soften the horse's jaw and take a bending line to the next fence (see the black s-line in the diagram). Now, you won't see this detailed exercise in a stadium course at my level, but I WILL have to drop off a 3' bank and bend to a skinny solid fence on cross-country. Up until now, I've been able to "cheat" and take the straight line (blue line). Those days are now over and I need to fix this... Anyway, last week I just kept rushing and thinking I had to do so much to get him to bend and I would end up hanging on his mouth and fighting with him and we wouldn't get to the next fence. There were run-outs and just ugly, ugly fences. I basically have an intermediate exercise where after each fence I do a 10 meter circle to recompose myself and then proceed to the next jump. So...tonight it was time to attempt it again. So I started with my silly circle exercise so I didn't freak out and rush to the next fence. That went pretty well, so I decided to go for the bending line....it actually went really well!! I still had trouble getting to the 3rd fence quietly, but it was a huge improvement from last week. We also struggle going from a left bend to a right bend since that is more difficult for him to change leads...that's a whole other workout :). Then I had the pleasure of riding Cody. Let me tell you, riding that horse is the ultimate upper body workout. My body aches from my bellybutton up. He is such a massive tank of a horse...I swear he has extra muscles. It's like one of those cows that are fed too many hormones...that's Cody>>>
So needless to say it's tough to ride him and I always feel bad for Seth because he is a beginner dealing with a beginner horse who doesn't make it easy, but at least he has nice arms from it :). So we're working with Cody to try and make him rounder...well I think he has too many muscles in his body to carry his fat head in a nice round frame. He does try though and hopefully it will click. There are moments where he is ok, but his dressage will never be strong. Considering he wouldn't even pick up the right lead when we bought him, he's come a long way. And he and Seth have a blast when jumping, so that's all that matters. Ok...time for a glass of wine and American Idol...

~Kelly