As Mia comes along in her training . I'm always think of where we are going with our training. I train with 3 axioms
1) sloppy thinking leads to sloppy riding
2) Horses are wonderful learners they can learn a bad habit as quick as a good habit . work to teach only good habits
3) when life throws you a curve turn it into a serpentine.
OK fancy words but what does it mean? I will break it down
#1 sloppy thinking leads to sloppy riding ..... how many times have we been on a trail ride and Joe is talking with sally and all the while his horse is crowding sally's horse. . next week we hear that Joe's horse got kicked while out on another trail ride.Now lets take it to the competition side, When you are going from trot to canter. You ask for the canter and half way through the transition, You are planing the next movement . and the next thing you know the "horse rushed the trot and fell into the canter"... well no not really You moved on before the transition was completed and dropped your aids.and this leads us to
#2 Horses are wonderful learners they can learn a bad habit as quick as a good habit . work to teach only good habits back to Joe's horse, by allowing his horse to crowd Sally's horse He taught him that this behavior is acceptable. until the next week when Joe's horse gets kicked. So back to the arena . your horse drifts 3" to the right when you jump. no big deal correct. until you have to jump a narrow chevron and you have a run out. Your horse was taught it was OK to drift .
#3 when life throws use a curve turn it into a serpentine.... Lets faces it nothing goes as planed be that your horse is in a bad mood or just does not work or you are running late and can't get you're head in the game. change it up horse is in a bad mood go out on the trail you can work dressage out of the arena so by changing the setting you can improve the work . you are out of it then maybe some ground work in strings take the bad and turn it to your advantage.
so in conclusion try to ride with clear and consistent aids , remember that it is easy to teach the wrong things that will haunt you later and work to teach what you want the horse to do and last shit happen flow with it and make it work for you instead of letting it get the better of your training.
