Yet another rather pathetic week of NSN for me. I have some excuses buuuut really I’m just bad at NSN.
Saturday, November 15th – Dressage, in anticipation of our Tina lesson. I dropped my stirrups for our new warm-up exercise, the walk-to-slow-sitting-trot-to-walk for 4-10 strides all around the arena. Really struggled to keep Murray’s back elevated during this, but sitting the trot is soooo much easier without stirrups.
Sunday, November 16th – Murray’s day off.
Monday, November 17th – Murray’s second, impromptu day off because of the kitten.
“study buddy”
Tuesday, November 18th – Dressage ride to prep for my Tina lesson on Wednesday. Kept my irons to work on our lateral work, and had a rather miserable, behind-the-leg ride that necessitated getting off and grabbing my whip.
Wednesday, November 19th – Tina dressage lesson! Kept my stirrups because dressage lesson.
Thursday, November 20th – Murray’s third day off this week. In anticipation of me riding every day up until Thanksgiving. I played with him in the round pen and worked on some clicker training instead.
Friday, November 21st – An evening dressage ride. I opted not to drop my irons because I am trying to radically change my upper body position and stop riding twisted to the left. This was hard enough with stirrups, though perhaps dropping them would have evened me out more! I did actually drop them at one point to lengthen my left leg and kick Murray off of it when we were cantering (he falls in horribly on left lead canter), but that hardly counts.
Saturday, November 22nd – Finally got my no-stirrups game together for today’s ride. Started out with our walk-trot-walk transitions no stirrups, which are seriously helping with my sitting trot. Then lots of walk and posting the trot without stirrups, and a fairly paltry attempt at two-point without stirrups (ummm Hunters out there, can you tell me htf you do that?!). Cantered poles and a little X also. Seriously, my first time jumping without stirrups and it was very revealing! I think next time I will just have to commit to taking the stirrups off my saddle entirely though, because having them crossed over in front is really uncomfortable under my thighs.
Zen and the Art of Baby Horse Management 