Okay not so much a dirty jockey or a Mr. Grinch here.. but a crooked jockey on a crooked horse; yes indeed! I am so much more aware of it now and it is my focus in dressage.
I have had several Dressage Clinics with Heather now and she has really focused on my position. I have a tendency to fall/cave left. My hips fall left, my shoulder falls left and I pitch forward and down to the left. While all of that is happening, guess what Deuce does? He pops his shoulder out to the left when going right and falls to the inside when going left ergo no bending and a crooked jokey riding a crooked hoss.
But the great news is; I can fix it and already have been!!
Heather is having me think of something poking me in my left side and hip to move my weight over center and really focus my attention on shifting those hips right. I also need to keep my left elbow still and by my side. When all of that comes together for a few moments, Deuce is actually able to to stay straight and up in his shoulder and move through his body and push from inside hind to outside shoulder. His trot gets big, bouncy and fancy! The leg yields become straighter too!! How about that!? So I am working on sitting even, tall and straight so I can have a straight horse.... ahh dressage... so subtle.... so technical...
