Working Eq Test Ride Clinic with Ali Kermeen

This weekend Cupid and I did a working equitation test ride clinic.  I signed up for the Novice A test, which is very straightforward with shallow loops at the trot, picking up the canter on a 20m circle, and changing rein on a free walk.  The main differences between it and a regular dressage Training level test are that the halts are straight from/to a trot, and there is a reinback.

I thought we had a pretty good warm up.  Cupid was a little disturbed by a chair balancing on top of a mounting block outside the arena - which I mean who does that?  I mostly just avoided that end of the arena so we can focus on bending and trying to get round.  I was riding in my dressage-legal bit, not the Myler combo which I think does encourage Cupid to drop his nose a bit.  But he was listening, and bending and both up and down transitions were prompt.

We headed into the arena, and in typical fashion threw down a mostly accurate but tense test.  Afterwards Ali asked me what I thought about it.  I rattled off a few things I thought could use improvement - the first loop was a bit big, I had immobility both before and after the reinback because I couldn't remember where it goes (before is correct, then step straight into a walk), and my second canter to trot transition was late.  Ali said she wasn't concerned with that, and we need to just focus on relaxation.

The first thing she did is shorten my stirrups, so my hips can move more easily and I have a better base of support.  She had me rock forward and back and asked where I can feel my seatbones.  We started walking, and she told me to follow Cupid's movement but basically leave him alone.  Don't try to make his walk bigger, just focus on following with my hips, sitting upright without arching my lower back, and bending my elbows ("capital L, not little l!")  The other emphasis was on turning my upper body ("headlights") the direction I want Cupid to go - obviously something basic I know but forget sometimes when I'm thinking of a hundred other things!

Then more of the same at the trot.  Of course at the trot I do additional weird things with my body, like raising one shoulder or collapsing through my side.  Aside from a few reminders to have him more on my outside rein, the focus was more on me and my position; as long as Cupid was relaxed and maintaining a steady rhythm I left him alone.  Was he on the bit - no - but Ali said this is still more correct, and he is lifting and swinging through his back much better even with his nose poking out then when he's tense and his whole neck is braced up.  She also basically said once I was more secure in my seat and steady in my contact the rest will come.

We took a bit of a break, working on the reinback a few minutes.  Ali shared a different technique, using a gentle backwards motion with my heels.  It took Cupid a minute to figure it out, but then it seemed to work pretty good! 

The canter work was also mostly focusing on my position.  The transitions into and out of it were good, aside from one time when Cupid kind of squealed and leapt into it.  Even though I still worry about picking up the left lead, he's been very consistent with it (I think the pads on his feet are really helping!) 

I really enjoyed the clinic, and Ali's practical yet relaxed teaching style.  I was quite happy with how Cupid went, and that we could have a good experience being at a somewhat new place.