Eole - february 09, 2010

Biting cold, indoor arena, several riders exercising. S. was there to coach me in my quest to collection. Eole was quite hot. We started with the usual warm-up work in relaxation, on long neck at walk and trot, with flexions and bend changes on circles and serpentines. Some lateral work with Shoulder-in and leg-yield. Then we started the real work at canter. I discovered that collection work can also start directly from canter. Eole quickly gave a beautiful, slow and cadenced canter, very round. We did several circles, first large, then smaller (6m), looking at keeping a regular tempo, in lightness and a slow cadence. Some transitions to trot. Some mild half-halts to raise the neck progressively and shift some weight backwards. Then, same work on circles, but with very slight counterbend.I was pleasantly surprised that Eole accepted it on both leads, as I expected some resistance on the left one which is more difficult with him. S. encouraged me: deep seat, 'get taller', hands slightly up for a short while at times, weight slightly heavier on the inner seatbone. All this for getting prepared for flying changes, which so far had been tricky with Eole. When he accepted all this calmly, I went on a 10m circle in one end of the arena, tangent to the track, at left hand. Left the circle, moved on the track keeping with the counterbend (on the right), took the corner then the diagonal and when we reached the track again on the other side, moved the left leg slightly backward while opening the fingers on the right hand - and Eole gave a frank flying change, yet with a kick. S. did not see it as an issue, and just asked me to get my left leg behind, much earlier in the movement, and completely still. When opening my fingers on the right hand,without any effect from the left leg Eole gave a superb flying change, without kick nor resistance of any kind, neither speeding up after the change. This is a new important milestone for me and him, because flying changes on the left to right leads had never been done properly like this - rather hapenned with various disorders and resistance. We confirmed this result on both leads, several times.In a earlier post, I reported a previous attempt to obtain flying changes under S. guidance. At that time, it was more crude, since it consisted in making a small half circle on the direction opposite to the canter lead, thereby 'forcing' the flying change requested from the horse to keep in balance on the half circle. This time, it has been a much more subtle movement, only made possible by the good degree of collection met by Eole.
After some good relaxation at walk on long reins, we did some collection work at trot, starting with alternating walk and rein-back in lightness on three strides, then moving into very slow trot, transition to walk, rein-back etc.. After a small series of this sequence, I put Eole (which was vibrant) in a corner, straight, and with small attacks asked for a begining of diagonalisation, which he gave , with elevated withers, good placer and light mouth.Of course, at the beginning, it was a bit disorganised. Eole was looking for how to achieve what he thought I was asking. I stopped him, at halt, reins loose in order to 'let him think', and started again. this time, he gave me three or four strides clearly diagonalised, and cadenced.
I was deeply pleased, and we stopped there, with a good walk on loose reins, and a lot of pats on the neck.
A memorable session.