30 December
We've been in the indoor arena quite a bit through December as temperatures went down to -9 and then after the cold snap, the wet spell - naturally. I wanted to get back on top of my flat work as Fred and I very quickly go back to old habits.
Warming up Jayne commented how soft his frame was coming and filmed a bit so that I could see.
It was interesting, because on board I was just thinking argh he's so sluggish, he's not travelling, but seeing that he was soft in the video and tracking up, whilst I was right that we need more travel, I could begin to understand that he's in that 'learning' phase. He's just learning about softening his neck, which will change his balance and to soften his neck and travel is the next phase.
We then proceeded to do some trot poles to get him to lift his shoulders in the trot. I wish we had some footage of that because it really changed. It felt amazing and I'm starting to learn what it feels like when he is 'through'. Nevermind. Next time!
I'd like to have another bash at Elementary. I want to work on the consistent frame being soft and travelling, so maybe we'll aim for February. I'm toying with BD, but it I still need to work on my self belief.
Whilst when I first saw this video I saw a soft necked Fred, now I just see fault after fault..... Sigh. We're our own worst enemies.